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71 


CONSTITUTION 

AND 

DISCIPLINE 


yV\.ETHODIST  pHURCH. 


SIXTH  EDITION. 


PITTSBURGH: 

Mkthodtst  Board  of  Publication, 
james  robison,  agent. 
1875. 


NOV  19  1999 


HISTORICAL  PREFACE. 


The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  was  organ- 
ized in  November,  1830,  by  a  General  Convention 
of  Methodist  Reformers,  assembled  in  the  city  of 
Baltimore.  The  occasion  was  in  this  wise: 
Those  who  objected  to  the  clerical  character  of 
the  government  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  sought  the  introduction  of  lay 
representation,  were  deemed  guilty  of  attempting 
B  sacrilegious  innovation.  For  this  offending, 
many  persons  of  good  moral  standing  were 
expelled  from  said  Church,  in  Baltimore,  in 
Cincinnati,  and  in  other  places.  These  proceed- 
ings resulted  in  numerous  secessions,  of  those 
holding  similar  views.  The  expelled  brethren, 
together  with  their  seceding  friends,  proceeded 
to  organize  churches,  in  many  sections  of  the 
country,  and  representatives  of  these  composed 
the  Constitutional  Convention  above  named. 

The  new  Church  organization  set  out  upon  the 
principle  of  constituting  the  Annual  and  General 
Conferences  of  an  equal  number  of  effective 


4 


PREFACE. 


ministers,  and  duly  delegated  laymen.  Many 
Conferences  were  organized  ;  and  the  new  Asso- 
ciation, though  encountering  much  opposition, 
met  with  encouraging  success. 

But  a  sad  cause  of  disunion  developed  itself. 
In  Southern  States  it  was  claimed  that  the  subject 
of  slaveholding  should  be  let  alone.  In  the 
Constitution  or  Discipline,  no  clause  was 
embraced,  forbidding  or  condemning  the  practice 
as  sinful.  To  those  in  other  portions  of  the 
American  Union,  it  seemed  highly  inconsistent 
that  a  people,  having  for  their  boasted  motto, 
"Mutual  Eights"  in  Church  affairs,  should  ignore 
or  trample  the  natural  rights  of  a  servile  class. 
This  was  felt  to  be  a  reproach,  the  removal  of 
which  was  an  obvious  duty.  For  twenty  years 
the  successive  General  Conferences  were  memo- 
rialized upon  the  subject.  A  feeble  expression  of 
partial  disapproval  was  passed  in  1842,  and  again 
in  1846.  But  the  General  Conferences  of  1850 
and  1854,  gave  full  evidence  that  the  slaveholding 
interest  had  so  far  gained  the  ascendency,  as  to 
preclude  any  action  adverse  to  its  claims.  It 
had  trammeled  the  press  of  the  Church,  so  that 
no  word  of  rebuke  could  be  uttered  through  its 
columns,  even  by  official  Conference  action, 
against  the  great  evil.  This  was  truly  mortifying 
to  a  people  so  devoted  to  civil  and  religious 
freedom.    Many  who  despaired  of  seeing  the 


PREFACE. 


5 


Church  redeemed  from  complicity  with  oppression, 
withdrew,  and  sought  other  connections.  This 
discouraged  the  hearts  of  others,  and  we  were  in 
great  perplexity. 

When  it  became  fully  evident  that  the  North- 
ern and  Southern  portions  of  the  Church  could 
not  longer  work  together  in  harmony,  in  sustain- 
ing and  managing  a  Church  paper,  at  the  General 
Conference  held  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  in  1854,  a 
separation  of  the  publishing  interests  was  pro- 
posed and  agreed  to.  The  Annual  Conferences 
so  choosing,  were  left  to  own  and  sustain  the 
Church  paper  at  Baltimore;  and  those  which 
should  so  prefer  were  left  at  liberty  to  establish 
and  sustain  a  paper  at  some  point  in  the  West. 
This  went  into  effect  with  a  degree  of  unanimity. 
The  Methodist  Protestant  continued  to  be  the 
Church  organ  for  the  Southern  Conferences,  and 
the  Methodist  Recorder  became  the  organ  for  the 
Conferences  of  the  North  and  West. 

In  anticipation  of  the  General  Conference  of 
1858,  fifteen  anti-slavery  Annual  Conferences 
united  in  calling  a  convention,  to  be  held  at 
Cincinnati,  in  November,  1857.  This  conven- 
tion, with  great  unanimity,  adopted  a  memorial 
to  the  General  Conference  to  be  held  at  Lynch- 
hurg,  Va.,  in  May,  1858,  representing,  in  respect- 
ful and  Christian  terms,  the  difficulties  which 
surrounded  us,  preventing  our  prosperity  ;  setting 


6 


PREFACE. 


forth  what  action  on  its  part  was  necessary  to 
obviate  those  difficulties  ;  and  praying  that  such 
action  be  had.  But  in  the  same  memorial,  notice 
was  given  that  if  the  General  Conference  should 
not  consent  to  pass  any  action  looking  to  the  expur- 
gation from  the  Church  of  the  evils  of  slave- 
holding  and  slave-trading,  we  could  not,  in  such 
case,  conscientiously  continue  in  ecclesiastical 
connection  and  fellowship  with  those  in  the 
practice  thereof. 

The  response  of  the  General  Conference  was 
regarded  as  a  simple  refusal  to  grant  the  prayer 
of  the  memorialists.  The  result  of  this  refusal 
was,  that  the  anti-slavery  Conferences,  to  the 
number  of  nineteen,  united  in  the  call  of  a 
convention,  to  be  held  in  Springfield,  Ohio, 
November  10,  1858.  This  convention  deliber- 
ately declared  its  judgment  of  the  sinfulness  of 
the  practices  referred  to,  and  likewise  declared 
all  official  «onnection,  co-operation,  and  Chris- 
tian fellowship  with  such  Conferences  and 
Churches  as  practice  or  tolerate  slave-holding 
and  slave-trading,  to  be  suspended,  until  the  evil 
complained  of  be  removed.  The  convention, 
further,  in  obedience  to  instructions  from  its 
constituents,  ordered  the  removal  from  the  Con- 
stitution and  Discipline  of  such  words  and 
clauses  as  made  distinction  on  account  of  color, 
and  such  as  had  been  understood  to  protect  rain- 


PREFACE. 


7 


isters  and  members  of  the  Church  in  the  prac- 
tices referred  to. 

In  November,  18G2,  the  Southern  States  and 
Churches  being  involved  in  civil  war,  a  con- 
vention was  assembled  at  Cincinnati,  upon  the 
concurrent  call  of  all  the  anti-slavery  Confer- 
ences. This  convention  adopted  a  solemn 
declaration  of  loyalty  to  the  Government  of  the 
United  States.  It  assumed  the  ground  thit 
inasmuch  as  certain  States  of  the  Union  had 
renounced  their  allegiance  to  the  United  States, 
and  were  in  armed  rebellion  against  the  govern- 
ment of  our  country,  that  the  churches  and 
people  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  denomination 
in  those  States,  willingly  or  unwillingly,  being 
therein  involved,  thus  neutralizing,  if  not  re- 
pudiating, the  twenty-third  Article  of  Religion  of 
the  M.  P.  Church,  must  be  considered  in  the 
light  of  a  revolt  from  the  M.  P.  Church  in  the 
free  States,  whilst  these  still  maintain  their 
allegiance  to  the  Constitution  and  authority  ot 
the  United  States.  Therefore,  in  calling  a  con- 
vention to  reinstate  the  General  Conference-,  it 
was  considered  that  we  were  absolved  from  all 
obligation  to  ask  the  official  concurrence  of  the 
churches  in  those  States,  under  the  circumstances. 
This  indeed  would  have  been  impossible  while 
under  stress  of  war.  Inasmuch  as  twenty  or 
more  Conferences,  in  the  then  loyal  States,  being 


8 


PREFACE. 


indeed  a  majority  of  the  Conferences  in  the 
entire  connection,  North  and  South,  had  concurred 
in  the  call  of  a  General  Convention  for  this 
purpose,  therefore,  said  convention  declared  the 
General  Conference  restored  to  its  original 
authority  under  the  Constitution  of  the  Methodist 
Protestant  Church,  and  appointed  the  next 
General  Conference  to  be  held  at  Allegheny,  Pa., 
in  November,  1866. 

At  that  General  Conference,  a  majority  of  the 
representatives  being  clothed  with  conventional 
powers,  the  Conference,  in  conventional  capacity, 
adopted  certain  constitutional  changes,  anions 
which  was  the  change  of  our  denominational 
name  from  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  to 
The  Methodist  Church.  The  intent  of  this  last 
was  to  meet  a  proposed  union  movement  from 
certain  smaller  Methodist  bodies,  chiefly  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  Connection.  These,  how- 
ever, in  the  outcome,  receded  from  the  union  to 
which  they  had  been  understood  as  pledged,  save 
a  small  number,  who  magnanimously  stood  to 
their  commitment. 

Our  denomination  has  since  been  known  as 
The  Methodist  Church.  Three  General  Confer- 
ences have  held  their  sessions  since  the  change, 
viz.:  one  at  Cleveland,  1867;  one  at  Pittsburgh, 
1871  ;  and  one  at  Princeton,  111.,  1875. 

As  slavery  no  longer  exists  in  the  land,  and 


PREFACE. 


9 


the  cause  of  our  suspension  of  fellowship  from 
the  Southern  Methodist  Protestants  has  thus  been 
removed,  a  strong  feeling  exists  in  favor  of  a 
uniting  of  the  two  branches.  Twenty-three 
Annual  Conferences  of  the  Methodist  Church,  at 
their  sessions  in  1874,  passed  resolutions  favoring 
such  a  union,  so  soon  as  it  can  be  effected,  on 
terms  mutually  honorable.  A  like  feeling  of 
reciprocity  has  been  manifested  on  the  part  of 
Methodist  Protestants  in  Southern  States.  At 
their  General  Conference  in  1874,  nine  Commis- 
sioners were  appointed  to  confer  with  a  like 
Commission  to  be  appointed  by  the  General 
Conference  of  the  Methodist  Church,  as  to  terms 
and  arrangements  for  consummating  a  union  of 
the  two  bodies.  The  General  Conference  last 
named,  at  its  session  in  Princeton,  111.,  in 
response,  appointed  nine  Commissioners  to 
negotiate  upon  the  subject,  with  the  above  men- 
tioned Commissioners  of  the  M.  P.  Church. 

A.  H.  Bassett, 
C  S.  Evans, 

Editing  Committee. 
Springfield,  0.,  June  22,  1875; 


PART  FIRST. 

ORGANIC  PROVISIONS 


PREAMBLE. 

We,  the  Representatives  of  the  Methodist 
Churches,  in  General  Convention  assembled, 
acknowledging  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
only  Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  Word  of 
Cod  as  the  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice 
in  all  things  pertaining  to  godliness;  and,  be- 
ing fully  persuaded  that  the  representative 
form  of  Church  Government  is  the  most 
Scriptural,  best  suited  to  our  condition,  and 
most  congenial  with  our  views  and  feelings  as 
fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the 
household  of  God  ;  and,  Whereas,  a  written 
Constitution,  establishing  the  form  of  govern- 
ment, and  securing  to  the  ministers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  their  rights  and  privileges, 
is  the  best  safeguard  of  Christian  liberty;  AVe, 
therefore,  trusting  in  the  protection  of  Almighty 
God,  and  acting  in  the  name  and  by  the 
authority  of  our  constituents,  do  ordain  and 


ELEMENTARY  PRINCIPLES.  11 


establish,  and  agree  to  be  governed  by  the  fol- 
lowing Elementary  Principles  and  Constitution  : 

ELEMENTARY  PRINCIPLES. 

1.  A  Christian  Church  is  a  society  of  be- 
lievers in  Jesus  Christ,  assembling  in  any  one 
place  for  religious  worship,  and  is  of  Divine 
institution. 

2.  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and 
the  Word  of  God  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
conduct. 

3.  No  person  who  loves  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  obeys  the  Gospel  of  God  our. 
Saviour,  ought  to  be  deprived  of  Church  mem- 
bership. 

4.  Every  man  has  an  inalienable  right  to 
private  judgment  in  matters  of  religion,  and  an 
equal  right  to  express  his  opinion,  in  any  way 
which  will  not  violate  the  laws  of  God  or  the 
rights  of  his  fellow-men. 

5.  Church  trials  should  be  conducted  on 
Gospel  principles  only ;  and  no  minister  or 
member  should  be  excommunicated,  except  for 
immorality,  the  propagation  of  unchristian 
doctrines,  or  for  neglect  of  duties  enjoined  by 
the  Word  of  God. 

6.  The  Pastoral  or  Ministerial  office  and 
duties  are  of  Divine  appointment ;  and  all 
Elders  in  the  Church  of  God  are  equal ;  but 
ministers  are  forbidden  to  be  lords  over  God's 


12 


ELEMENTARY  PRINCIPLES. 


heritage,  or  to  have  dominion  over  the  faith  of 
the  saints. 

7.  The  Church  has  a  right  to  form  and  en- 
force such  rules  and  regulations  only,  as  are  in 
accordance  with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  may 
be  necessai-y,  or  have  a  tendency  to  carry  into 
effect  the  great  system  of  practical  Christianity. 
The  Church  ought  to  secure  to  all  her  official 
bodies  the  necessary  authority  for  the  purposes 
of  good  government. 

8.  Whatever  power  may  be  necessary  to  the 
formation  of  rules  and  regulations,  is  inherent 
in  the  ministers  and  members  of  the  churches : 
but  so  much  of  that  power  may  be  delegated, 
from  time  to  time,  upon  a  plan  of  representa- 
tion, as  they  may  judge  necessary  and  proper; 
provided,  that  they  create  no  distinct  and  inde- 
pendent sovereignties. 

9.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  ministers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  to  maintain  godliness,  and 
to  oppose  all  moral  evil. 

10.  Tt  is  obligatory  on  ministers  of  the 
Gospel  to  be  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  their 
pastoral  and  ministerial  duties;  and  it  is  also 
obligatory  on  members  to  esteem  ministers 
highly  for  their  work's  sake,  and  to  render 
them  a  righteous  compensation  for  their  labors. 


CONSTITUTION. 


13 


Article  I. — Name. 

The  name  01  this  religious  body  shall  be  The 
Methodist  Church. 

Article  II. —  Terms  of  Membership. 

Sec.  1.  The  conditions  required  of  those 
who  apply  for  probationary  membership  in  a 
church  are,  a  desire  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  be  saved  by  grace  through  faith  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  an  avowed  deter- 
mination to  walk  in  all  the  commandments  of 
God  blameless. 

Sec.  2.  The  churches  shall  have  power  to 
receive  members,  on  profession  of  faith  or  on 
certificate  of  good  standing  in  any  other  Chris- 
tian Church  ;  provided  they  are  satisfied  with 
the  Christian  experience  of  the  candidate. 

Article  III. — Reception  of  Churches. 

Sec.  1.  Any  church  agreeing  to  conform  to 
our  Constitution,  Book  of  Discipline,  and 
Means  of  Grace,  may,  on  application  to  the 
President  of  an  Annual  Conference,  to  the 
pastor  of  a  church,  or  to  a  Quarterly  Confer- 
ence, be  received  as  a  member  of  this  body. 

Sec.  2.  Each  church  shall  have  the  right  to 
hold  and  control  its  own  property,  and  manage 
its  own  local  affairs,  independent  of  all  associa- 
ted relations  or  bodies. 

Sec.  3.  It  is  expected  of  all  churches,  as  a 


L4 


CONSTITUTION. 


condition  of  remaining  connected  with  the  gen- 
eral body,  that  they  continue  to  conform  to 
this  Constitution,  and  the  essential  regulations 
contained  in  the  Book  of  Discipline. 

Article  IV. — Division  of  Territory. 

Sec.  1.  The  territory  embraced  by  this  Re- 
ligious Body  shall  be  divided  into  Districts  of 
convenient  size  and  form  ;  such  division  to  be 
subject  to  any  changes  which  the  General 
Conference  may  from  time  to  time  deem  neces- 
sary. 

Sec.  2.  Each  District  shall  be  divided  into 
Circuits,  Stations  and  Missions. 

Article  V. —  Quarterly  Conferences. 

Sec.  1.  There  shall  be  a  Quarterly  Confer- 
ence in  each  pastoral  charge,  composed  of  all 
(lie  ministers,  preachers,  exhorters,  stewards, 
leaders,  trustees,  and  superintendents  of  Sab- 
bath-schools, who  are  members  of  the  Church, 
belonging  to  the  charge,  who  shall  hold  four 
sessions  each  year ;  provided,  that  the  pastor 
or  a  quorum  of  the  Quarterly  Conference  shall 
have  authority  to  call  special  meetings  when 
deemed  necessary. 

Sec.  2.  Each  Quarterly  Conference  shall  have 
authority  to  examine  into  the  official  character 
of  all  its  members,  and  to  admonish  or  reprove 
them,  as  occasion  may  require ;   to  grant  to 


CONSTITUTION. 


15 


persons  properly  qualified  and  recommended 
by  the  Church  of  which  the  applicants  are 
members,  license  to  exhort  and  to  preach,  and 
renew  their  licenses  annually  ;  to  admit  minis- 
ters and  preachers  coming  from  any  other 
Church,  to  recommend  ministers  and  preachers 
to  the  Annual  Conference  for  pastoral  work 
and  for  ordination  ;  provided,  nevertheless,  that 
no  person  be  licensed  to  preach  until  he  shall 
have  been  first  examined  and  recommended  by 
a  committee  of  five,  composed  of  ministers 
and  laymen  chosen  by  the  Quarterly  Conference. 

Article  VI. — Annual  Conferences. 

Sec.  1.  There  shall  be  held,  annually,  within 
the  limits  of  each  District,  a  Conference,  com- 
posed of  all  the  ministers  laboring  under  its 
direction,  and  of  one  delegate  from  each  circuit, 
station  and  mission,  for  each  of  its  ministers 
belonging  to  the  Conference ;  provided,  how- 
ever, that  each  circuit,  station  and  mission 
shall  have  at  least  one  delegate.  Each  Annual 
Conference  shall  regulate  the  manner  of  elec- 
tions in  its  own  District ;  provided,  however, 
that  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  first  Annual 
Conference  under  this  Constitution,  shall  be 
acoordiug  to  such  regulations  as  may  be  adopted 
for  that  purpose  by  the  Quarterly  Conferences  of 
the  respective  circuits,  stations  and  missions. 

Sec.  2.  Each  Aunual  Conference  shall  have 


16 


CONSTITUTION. 


authority  to  elect  a  President,  annually ;  to 
examine  into  the  official  conduct  of  its  mem- 
bers ;  to  receive,  by  vote,  such  ministers  and 
preachers  into  the  Conference  as  come  properly 
recommended,  and  who  can  be  efficiently  em- 
ployed as  pastors  or  missionaries  ;  to  elect  to 
orders  those  who  are  eligible  and  competent  to 
the  pastoral  office ;  to  hear  and  decide  on 
appeals;  to  define  and  regulate  the  boundaries 
of  circuits  and  stations ;  and  to  exercise  a 
general  supervision  over  the  pastors  and 
churches. 

Sec.  All  ministers  and  licentiates,  who 
are  laboring  under  the  direction  of  the  Confer- 
ence, shall  be  at  liberty  to  enter  into  engage- 
ments to  serve  any  pastoral  charge  for  one  year 
from  the  next  session  of  tbe  Conference  ;  and 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  ministers,  and  licen- 
tiates, and  churches,  having  entered  into  such 
arrangements,  to  report  the  same  to  the  Con- 
ference at  its  next  session,  for  its  supervision. 

Sec.  4.  Each  Annual  Conference  shall  also 
have  authority  to  perform  any  other  duties 
which  the  General  Conference  may  prescribe  ; 
and  to  make  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the 
peculiarities  of  the  District  may  require ;  pro- 
vided, however,  that  no  rule  or  regulation  may 
be  made  inconsistent  with  this  Constitution  ; 
and  provided,  furthermore,  that  the  General 
Conference  shall  have  -power  to  annul  any  rule 


CONSTITUTION. 


17 


or  regulation  which  that  body  may  deem 
unconstitutional. 

Article  VII. —  General  Conferences. 

Sec.  1.  There  shall  be  a  General  Conference 
of  this  body,  held  on  the  third  Wednesday  of 
May.  1867,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  on  the 
third  Wednesday  of  May  every  fourth  year 
thereafter,  at  such  place  as  shall  be  determined 
on  by  the  Conference. 

Sec.  2.  The  General  Conference  shall  con- 
sist of  an  equal  number  of  ministers  and  lay- 
men. The  ratio  of  representation  from  each 
Annual  Conference  District  shall  be  one  minis- 
ter and  one  layman  for  every  one  thousand 
persons  in  full  membership ;  provided,  that 
every  Conference  District  having  five  hundred 
and  fifty,  or  more,  over  a  thousand,  shall  be 
entitled  to  an  additional  delegation  of  one 
minister  and  one  layman  ;  and,  provided  further, 
that  every  Annual  Conference  District  that 
may  not  have  one  thousand  members  shall  be 
entitled  to  two  representatives,  one  minister 
and  one  layman,  until  a  different  ratio  shall  be 
fixed  by  the  General  Conference. 

Sec.  3.  The  representatives  to  which  each 
Annual  Conference  District  shall  be  entitled, 
shall  be  elected  at  the  time  and  place  of  hold- 
ing  the  Annual  Conference  of  said  District 


IS 


CONSTITUTION. 


next  preceding  the  sitting  of  the  General  Con- 
ference, by  joint  ballot  of  ministers  and  laymen. 

Sec.  4.  The  General  Conference  shall  elect, 
by  ballot,  a  President  to  preside  over  its  delib- 
erations, and  one  or  more  Secretaries,  to  serve 
during  the  sitting  of  the  Conference,  who  shall 
keep  a  faithful  record  of  its  proceedings ;  judge 
of  election  returns  and  qualifications  of  its 
own  members,  and  form  its  own  rules  of  order. 
A  majority  of  the  representatives  in  attendance 
shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

Sec.  5.  The  ministers  and  laymen  shall 
deliberate  in.  one  body  ;  but  if,  upon  the  final 
passage  of  any  question,  it  be  required  by 
three  members,  the  ministers  and  laymen  shall 
vote  separately ;  and  the  concurrence  of  a 
majority  of  both  classes  of  representatives 
shall  be  necessary  to  constitute  a  vote  of  the 
Conference.  A  similar  regulation  shall  be 
observed  by  the  Annual  Conferences. 

Sec.  6.  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
authority  to  make  rules  and  regulations  for 
managing  all  the  general  interests  of  the  body, 
in  accordance  with  the  Elementary  Principles, 
and  the  provisions  of  this  Constitution. 

Sec.  7.  To  determine  the  ratio  of  represents 
ation  to  its  body. 

Sec.  8.  To  define  the  boundaries  of  Annual 
Conference  Districts;  provided,  however,  that 
the  Annual  Conferences  of  any  two  or  more 


CONSTITUTION. 


19 


Districts  shall  haVe  power, by  mutual  agreement, 
to  alter  their  respective  adjoiniug  boundaries, 
or  to  set  off  a  new  District ;  but  every  altera- 
tion made  in  the  boundaries  of  Districts  shall 
be  reported  to  the  ensuing  General  Conference, 
subject  to  its  action. 

Sec.  9.  The  General  Conference  shall  make 
no  rule  in  violation  of  the  law  of  God,  or 
which  shall  conflict  with  any  of  the  Element- 
ary Principles,  or  of  this  Constitution ;  or 
which  shall  infringe  the  liberty  of  speech  or 
of  the  press  ;  or  constitute  any  order  of  min- 
isters higher  than  Elder ;  or  which  shall  prevent 
the  maintenance  of  an  itinerant  ministry. 

Article  VIII.— Officers. 

PRESIDENTS  OF  ANNUAL  CONFERENCES. 

Sec.  1.  The  President  of  each  Annual  Con- 
ference shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  a  majority  of 
votes  being  necessary  to  a  choice,  and  shall  be 
amenable  to  that  body  for  his  official  conduct. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  an  Annual  Conference  to  preside  in  all 
meetings  of  that  body  ;  and,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  two  or  more  Elders,  to  ordain  such 
persons  as  shall  be  elected  to  orders;  travel 
through  the  District — if  it  be  required  by  the 
Conference — and,  in  the  recess  of  Conference, 
with  the  assistance  of  two  or  more  Elders,  to  or- 
dain those  persons  who  shall  have  been  elected  to 


20 


CONSTITUTION. 


orders,  and  were  not  present  at  Conference  ; 
to  employ  such  ministers,  preachers  and  mis- 
sionaries as  are  duly  recommended,  and  to 
make  such  changes  of  preachers  as  may  be 
necessary;  provided,  the  consent  of  the 
preachers  and  their  charges  be  first  obtained ; 
and  to  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be 
required  by  his  Annual  Conference. 

PASTORS. 

The  minister  or  preacher  having  charge  of  a 
station,  circuit,  or  mission,  shall  be  styled  the 
Pastor,  and  his  assistant  the  Associate  Pastor. 

All  ministers  and  preachers  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Conference  shall  be  amenable  to 
that  body,  and  all  others  shall  he  amenable  to 
the  Quarterly  Conferences  to  which  they  seve- 
rally belong. 

CLASS  LEADERS. 

Class  Leaders  shall  be  elected  annually  by 
their  respective  classes,  or  oftener,  if  necessary. 

CONFERENCE  STEWARDS. 

The  Conference  Stewards  shall  be  elected 
annually  by  the  Annual  Conferences,  and  dis- 
charge such  duties  as  may  be  assigned  them  by 
the  Discipline. 

STATION  AND  CIRCUIT  STEWARDS. 

The  Station,  Circuit  and  Mission  Stewards 
shall  be  elected  annually;  in  the  stations,  by 


CONSTITUTION. 


21 


the  members,  including  ministers  and  preachers ; 
and  in  the  circuits  and  missions  by  the  Quar- 
terly Conferences ;  but  every  member  present, 
if  eighteen  years  of  age,  shall  be  permitted  to 
vote  in  the  election  of  Stewards.  The  number 
of  Stewards  for  each  circuit,  station  or  mission, 
to  be  not  less  than  three,  nor  more  than  seven. 

Article  IX. —  General  Judiciary. 

Sec.  1.  Whenever  a  majority  of  all  the 
Annual  Conferences  shall  officially  call  for  a 
judicial  decision  on  any  rule  or  act  of  the 
General  Conference,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
each  and  every  Annual  Conference  to  appoint, 
at  its  next  session,  one  judicial  delegate.  The 
delegates  thus  chosen  shall  assemble  at  the 
place  where  the  General  Conference  held  its 
last  session,  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  May  fol- 
lowing their  appointment. 

Sec.  2.  A  majority  of  the  delegates  shall 
constitute  a  quorum ;  and  if  two-thirds  of  all 
present  judge  said  rule  or  act  of  tlie  General 
Conference  unconstitutional,  they  shall  have 
power  to  declare  the  same  null  and  void. 

Sec.  3.  Every  decision  of  the  Judiciary 
shall  be  in  writing,  and  shall  be  published  in 
the  periodicals  belonging  to  this  body.  After 
the  Judiciary  shall  have  performed  the  duties 
assigned  to  them  in  the  Constitution,  their 
power  shall  cease ;  and  no  other  Judiciary  shall 


CONSTITUTION. 


be  created  until  after  the  session  of  the  suc- 
ceeding General  Conference. 

Article  X. — Special    Call  of  the  General 
Conference. 

Sec.  1.  Two-thirds  of  the  whole  number  of 
the  Annual  Conferences  shall  have  power  to 
call  special  meetings  of  the  General  Conference. 

Sec.  2.  When  it  shall  have  been  ascertained 
that  two-thirds  of  the  Annual  Conferences 
have  decided  in  favor  of  such  call,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  Presidents,  or  a  "majority  of 
them,  forthwith  to  designate  the  time  and  place 
of  holding  the  same,  and  to  give  due  notice  to 
all  stations,  circuits  and  missions. 

Article  XI. — Provision  for  Altering  the  Con- 
stitution. 

Sec.  1.  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
power  to  annul  any  part  of  this  Constitution, 
except  the  second  and  twelfth  articles,  and  sec- 
tion nine  of  article  seven,  by  making  such 
alterations  or  additions  as  may  be  recommended 
in  writing  by  two-thirds  of  the  whole  number 
of  the  Annual  Conferences  next  preceding  the 
sitting  of  the  General  Conference. 

Sec.  2.  The  second  and  twelfth  articles,  and 
the  ninth  section  of  article  seven  of  this  Con- 
stitution, shall  be  unalterable,  except  by  a 
General  Convention  called  for  the  special  pur- 


CONSTITUTION. 


23 


pc*e  by  two-thirds  of  the  whole  number  of  the 
Annual  Conferences  next  preceding  the  Gene- 
ral Conference,  which  convention,  and  all  other 
conventions  of  this  Church,  shall  be  consti- 
tuted and  elected  in  the  same  manner  and  ratio 
as  prescribed  for  the  General  Conference. 
When  a  General  Convention  is  called  by  the 
Annual  Conferences,  it  shall  supersede  the 
assembling  of  the  General  Conference  for  that 
period,  and  shall  have  power  to  discharge  all 
the  duties  of  that  body,  in  addition  to  the  par- 
ticular object  for  which  the  convention  shall 
have  been  assembled. 

Article  XII. — Judiciary  Principles. 

Sec.  1.  All  offences  condemned  by  the 
Word  of  God  as  being  sufficient  to  exclude  a 
person  from  the  kingdom  of  grace  and  glory, 
shall  subject  ministers,  preachers  and  members 
to  expulsion  from  the  Church. 

Sec.  2.  For  preaching  or  disseminating  un- 
scriptural  doctrines,  affecting  the  general  inter- 
ests of  the  Christian  system,  ministers,  preach- 
ers and  members  shall  be  liable  to  admonition, 
and,  if  incorrigible,  to  expulsion. 

Sec.  3.  No  minister  or  preacher  shall  be 
deprived  of  Church  privileges  or  ministerial 
functions,  without  an  impartial  trial  before  a 
committee  of  from  three  to  five  ministers  or 
preachers,  aud  the  right  of  appeal,  the  preach- 


24 


CONSTITUTION. 


ers  to  the  ensuing  Quarterly  Conference,  and 
the  ministers  to  the  ensuing  Annual  Confer- 
ence. 

Sec.  4.  No  member  shall  he  deprived  of 
Church  privileges  without  an  impartial  trial. 
He  shall  be  tried  before  a  committee  of  three 
or  more  lay  members,  but  shall  have  the  right 
of  appeal  to  the  Church,  whose  decision  shall 
be  final. 


PART  SECOND. 

FAITH  AND  PRACTICE 


SECTION  I. — ARTICLES  OF  RELIGION. 

I. —  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity. 

There  is  but  one  living  and  true  God,  ever- 
lasting, of  infinite  power,  wisdom  and  good- 
ness ;  the  Maker  and  Preserver  of  all  things, 
visible  and  invisible.  And  in  unity  of  this 
Godhead,  there  are  three  persons,  of  one  sub- 
stance, power  and  eternity :  the  Father,  the 
Son,  (the  Word,)  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

II.— Of  the  Son  of  God. 

The  Son  of  God,  who  is  the  Word  of  the 
Father,  the  very  and  Eternal  G<  d,  and  one 
with  the  Father,  took  man's  nature  in  the 
womb  of  the  Blessed  Virgin ;  so  that  two 
whole  and  perfect  natures,  i.  e.,  the  Godhead 
and  manhood  were  joined  together  in  one  per- 
son, whereof  is  one  Christ,  very  God  and  very 
man ;  who  in  his  manhood  truly  suffered,  was 


26 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


crucified,  dead  and  buried,  to  make  an  atonement 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  reconcile 
us  to  God.» 

III. —  Of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ. 

Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from  the  dead, 
taking  his  body,  with  all  appertaining  to  the 
perfection  of  man's  nature,  wherewith  he 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  sitteth  until  he 
return  to  judge  all  men  at  the  last  day. 

IV.—  Of  the  Uoly  Ghost. 

The  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Fathei 
and  the  Son,  is  one  with  the  Father  and  the 
Son  in  majesty  and  glory,  and  is  very  and 
eternal  God. 

V. —  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Script  met*, 
for  Salvation. 

The  Holy  Scriptures  contain  all  things 
necessary  to  salvation ;  so  that  whatsoever  is 
not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby, 
is  not  to  be  required  of  any  man,  that  it  should 
be  believed  as  an  article  of  faith,  or  be  thought 
requisite  or  necessary  to  salvation.  In  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  we  do  understand 
these  canonical  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  of  whose  authority  there  is  no 
doubt  in  the  Church. 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


27 


The  canonical  books  of  the  Old  Testament 
are :  Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers, 
Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  First 
Samuel,  Second  Samuel,  First  Kings,  Second 
Kings,  First  Chronicles,  Second  Chronicles, 
Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther,  Job,  Psalms, 
Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  The  Songs  of  Solomon, 
Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations,  Ezekiel,  Daniel, 
Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah, 
Nahum,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zecha- 
riah,  and  Malachi. 

The  canonical  books  of  the  New  Testament 
are :  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  John,  The  Acts, 
The  Epistles  to  the  Romans,  First  Corinthians, 
Second  Corinthians,  Galatians,  Ephesians, 
Phillippians,  Colossians,  First  Thessalonians, 
Second  Thessalonians,  First  Timothy,  Second 
Timothy,  Titus,  Philemon,  Hebrews,  James, 
First  Peter,  Second  Peter,  First  John,  Second 
John,  Third  John,  Jude,  Revelation. 

VI.—  Of the  Old  Testament. 

The  Old  Testament  is  not  contrary  to  the 
New  ;  for  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
everlasting  life  is  offered  to  mankind  through 
Christ,  who  is  the  only  Mediator  between  God 
and  man.  Wherefore,  they  are  not  to  be 
heard  who  feign  that  the  old  fathers  did  look 
only  for  transitory  promises.  Although  the 
law  given  from  God  by  Moses,  as  touching 


^8 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


ceremonies  and  rites,  doth  not  bind  Christians, 
nor  ought  the  civil  precepts  thereof  of  necessity 
be  received  in  any  commonwealth  ;  yet,  not- 
withstanding, no  Christian,  whatsoever,  is  free 
from  the  obedience  of  the  commandments 
which  are  called  moral, 

VII—  Of  Original,  or  Birth  Sin.  C 

Original  sin  is  the  corruption  of  the  nature 
of  every  man,  that  naturally  is  engendered  of 
the  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  man  is  very 
far  gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  of  his 
own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and  that  contin- 
ually. 

VIII.— Of  Free  Witt. 

The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam 
is  such  that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself 
by  his  own  natural  strength  and  works,  to  faith 
and  calling  upon  God ;  wherefore,  we  have  no 
power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  accept- 
able to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God,  by 
Christ,  working  in  us,  that  we  may  have  a  good 
will,  and  working  with  us  when  we  have  that 
good  will. 

IX. —  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. 

We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God  only 
for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


■19 


deservings  ;  wherefore,  that  we  are  justified  by 
faith,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  very 
full  of  comfort. 

X.— Of  Good  Works. 

Although  good  works,  which  are  the  fruit  of 
faith,  and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put 
away  our  sins,  and  endure  the  severity  of  God's 
judgments ;  yet  are  they  pleasing  and  accept- 
able to  God  in  Christ,  and  spring  out  of  a  true 
and  lively  faith,  insomuch  that  by  them  a  lively 
faith  may  be  as  evidently  known  as  a  tree  is 
discerned  by  its  fruit. 

XI. — Of  Works  of  Supererogation. 

Voluntary  works,  besides,  over  and  above 
God's  commandments,  which  are  called  works 
of  supererogation,  cannot  be  taught  without 
arrogancy  and  impiety.  For  by  them  men  do 
declare,  that  they  do  not  only  render  unto  God 
as  much  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  but  that 
they  do  more  for  his  sake  than  of  bounden 
duty  is  required :  Whereas,  Christ  saith  plainly, 
When  ye  have  done  all  that  is  commanded  you, 
say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants. 

XII. —  Of  Sin  after  Justification. 

Not  every  sin  willingly  committed  after  jus- 
tification is  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  unpardonable.    Wherefore,  repentance  is 


30 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


not  denied  to  such  as  fall  into  sin  after  justifi- 
cation ;  after  we  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost, 
we  may  depart  from  grace  given,  and  fall  into 
sin,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  rise  again  and 
mend  our  lives. 

XIII. —  Of  Sanctification. 

Sanctification  is  that  renewal  of  our  fallen 
nature  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  received  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  whose  blood  of  atone- 
ment cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;  whereby  we  are 
not  only  delivered  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  but 
are  washed  from  its  pollution,  saved  from  its 
power,  and  are  enabled,  through  grace,  to  love 
God  with  all  our  hearts,  and  to  walk  in  his 
holy  commandments  blameless. 

XIV. —  Of  the  Church. 

The  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congrega- 
tion of  faithful  men,  in  which  the  pure  word 
of  God  is  preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly 
administered  according  to  Christ's  ordinance, 
io  all  those  things  that  of  necessity  are  requisite 
to  the  same. 

X  V. —  Of  Purgatory. 

The  Romish  doctrine  concerning  purgatory, 
pardon,  worshiping  and  adoration,  as  well  of 
images  as  of  relics,  and  ajso  invocation  of 
paints,  is  a  fond  thing  vainly  invented,  and 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


31 


grounded  upon  no  warrant  of  Scripture,  but 
repugnant  to  the  word  of  God. 

XVI.— Of  Tongues. 

It  is  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  the  custom  of  the  primitive 
Church,  to  have  public  prayer  in  the  church, 
or  to  minister  the  sacraments  in  a  tongue  not 
understood  by  the  people. 

XVII.— Of  the  Sacraments. 

Sacraments  ordained  of  Christ,  are  visible 
signs  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  Chris- 
tian men's  profession,  by  which  God  doth  work 
invisibly  in  them  that  believe,  and  doth  not 
only  quicken,  but  also  strengthen  and  confirm 
their  faith  in  him. 

There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of  Christ 
our  Lord  in  the  Gospel,  i.  e.,  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper.  Those  five,  called  by  Roman 
Catholics  sacraments,  i.  e.,  Confirmation, 
Penance,  Orders,  Matrimony  and  Extreme 
Unction,  are  not  to  be  counted  for  sacraments 
of  the  Gospel,  being  such  as  have  partly  grown 
out  of  the  corrupt  following  of  the  Apostles ; 
and  partly  are  states  of  life,  allowed  in  the 
Scriptures,  but  yet  have  not  the  like  nature  of 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they 
are  not  signs  of  a  covenant  relation  with  God. 
The  sacraments  were  not  ordained  of  Christ  to 


3-2 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


be  gazed  upon,  or  to  be  carried  about ;  but 
that  we  should  duly  use  them ;  and  in  such 
only  as  worthily  receive  the  same,  they  have  a 
wholesome  effect  or  operation  ;  but  they  that 
receive  them  unworthily,  purchase  to  them- 
selves condemnation,  as  St.  Paul  saith,  1  Cor. 
xi.  29. 

XVIII.—  Of  Baptism. 

Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession, 
and  mark  of  difference,  whereby  Christians 
are  distinguished  from  others  that  are  not 
baptized,  but  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration  or 
the  new  birth.  The  baptism  of  adult  believers, 
and  of  young  children,  is  to  be  retained  in  tho 
Church. 

XIX. —  Of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  a  visible  sign  of 
the  atonement  made  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  his  agony  and  blood,  in  which  we  profess 
our  faith  in  him,  as  our  only  and  all-sufficient 
Saviour,  and  show  forth  his  death  till  he  come. 
Transubstantiation,  or  the  change  of  the  sub- 
stance of  bread  and  wine  in  the  Supper  of  our 
Lord,  cannot  be  proved  by  Holy  Writ ;  but  is 
repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  Scripture, 
overthroweth  the  nature  of  a  sacrament,  and 
hath  given  occasion  to  many  superstitions. 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


33 


XX. —  Of  Both  Kinds. 

The  cup  of  the  Lord  is  not  to  he  denied  to 
the  laity  ;  for  both  the  parts  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  by  Christ's  ordinance  and  command- 
ment, ought  to  be  administered  to  all  Christians 
alike. 

XXL— Of  the  One  Oblation  of  Christ. 

The  offering  of  Christ,  once  made,  is  that 
perfect  redemption  and  propitiation  for  all  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and 
actual ;  and  there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for 
sin  but  that  alone.  Wherefore,  to  expect  sal- 
vation on  the  ground  of  our  own  works,  or  by 
suffering  the  pains  our  sins  deserve,  either  in 
the  present  or  future  state,  is  derogatory  to 
Christ's  offering  for  us,  and  a  dangerous  deceit. 

XXII. —  Of  the  Marriage  of  Ministers. 

The  ministers  of  Christ  are  not  commanded 
by  God's  law  either  to  vow  the  state  of  single 
life,  or  to  abstain  from  marriage ;  therefore,  it 
is  lawful  for  them,  as  for  all  other  Christians, 
to  marry  at  their  own  discretion,  as  they  shall 
judge  the  same  to  serve  best  to  godliness. 

XXIII. —  Of  the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead. 

There  will  be  a  general  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  both  of  the  just  and  the  unjust,  at 
2 


34 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


which  time  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men  will  be 
reunited,  to  receive  together  a  just  retribution 
for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body  in  this  life. 

XXIV. —  Of  the  General  Judgment. 

There  will  be  a  general  Judgment  at  the 
end  of  the  world,  when  God  will  judge  all  men, 
by  Jesus  Christ,  and  receive  the  righteous  unto 
his  heavenly  kingdom,  where  they  shall  be 
forever  secure  and  happy  ;  and  adjudge  the 
wicked  to  everlasting  punishment,  suited  to  the 
demerit  of  their  sins. 

XXV.—  Of  Relative  Duties. 

Those  two  great  commandments  which  re- 
quire us  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our 
hearts,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  contain 
the  sum  of  the  Divine  law  as  it  is  revealed  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  are  the  measure  and  perfect 
rule  of  human  duty,  as  well  for  the  ordering 
and  directing  of  families  and  nations,  and  all 
other  social  bodies,  as  for  individual  acts ;  by 
which  we  are  required  to  acknowledge  God  as 
our  only  Supreme  Ruler,  and  all  men  as  created 
by  him,  equal  in  all  natural  rights.  Where- 
fore, all  men  are  bound  so  to  order  all  their 
individual,  social  and  political  acts,  as  to  render 
to  God  entire  and  absolute  obedience;  and  to 
secure  to  all  men  the  enjoyment  of  every 
natural  right,  as  well  as  to  promote  the  greatest 


FAITH   AND  PRACTICE. 


35 


happiness  of  each  in  the  possession  and  exer- 
cise of  such  rights. 

XXVI.  — Of  the  Rulers  of  the  United  States 

of  America. 

The  President,  the  Congress,  the  General 
Assemblies,  the  Governors,  and  the  Councils  oi 
State,  as  the  delegates  of  the  people,  are  the 
rulers  of  the  United  States  of  America,  accord- 
ing to  the  division  of  power  made  to  them  by 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  by 
the  Constitution  of  their  respective  States. 
And  the  said  States  are  a  sovereign  and  inde- 
pendent nation,  and  ought  not  to  be  subject  to 
any  foreign  jurisdiction. 

XXVII.  —  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  oj 

Churches. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  rites  and  ceremonies 
should  be  in  all  places  the  same,  or  exactly 
alike,  for  they  have  always  been  different,  and 
may  be  changed  according  to  diversity  of 
countries,  times,  and  men's  manners,  so  that 
nothing  be  ordained  against  God's  word. 

XXVIII— Of  Christian  Men's  Goods. 

The  riches  and  goods  of  Christians  are  not 
common  as  touching  the  right,  title,  and  pos- 
session of  the  same,  as  some  do  falsely  boast. 
Notwithstanding  every  man  ought,  of  such 


36 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


things  as  lie  possesses,  liberally  to  give  alms  to 
the  poor,  according  to  his  ability. 

XXIX.—  Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. 

As  we  confess  that  vain  and  rash  swearing 
is  forbidden  all  men  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  James  his  apostle ;  so  we  judge  that  the 
Christian  religion  doth  not  prohibit,  but  that  a 
man  may  swear,  or  affirm,  when  the  magistrate 
requireth,  in  a  cause  of  faith  and  charity,  so  it 
be  done  according  to  the  prophet's  teaching,  in 
justice,  judgment  and  truth. 

SECTION  II. — CHRISTIAN  DUTIES. 

We  hold  that  the  teachings  of  the  Bible  re- 
quire : 

1.  That  we  do  no  harm,  but  avoid  evil  of 
every  kind ;  especially  those  most  generally 
practised  ;  such  as  : 

The  taking  of  the  name  of  God  in  vain. 

The  profaning  the  day  of  the  Lord,  by  or- 
dinary work,  or  by  buying  or  selling  therein. 

Drunkenness,  or  the  manufacturing,  buying, 
selling,  or  using  intoxicating  liquors,  unless  for 
mechanical,  chemical,  or  medicinal  purposes  ; 
or  in  any  way  intentionally  aiding  others  so 
to  do. 

The  buying  or  selling  of  men,  women  or 
children,  with  an  intention  to  enslave  them,  or 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


37 


holding  them  as  slaves,  or  claiming  that  it  id 
right  so  to  do. 

Fighting,  quarrelling,  brawling,  brother  going 
to  law  with  brother;  returning  evil  for  evil,  or 
railing  for  railing;  the  using  of  many  words 
in  buying  or  selling. 

Uncharitable  or  unprofitable  conversation,  or 
indulgence  in  those  worldly  amusements  which 
do  not  tend  to  the  glory  of  God.  and  which 
cannot  be  used  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus ; 
such  as  card  playing,  dancing,  games  of  chance, 
and  attending  circuses  and  theatrical  per- 
formances. 

Doing  unto  others  as  we  would  not  they 
should  do  unto  us. 

Borrowing  without  a  probability  of  paying  ; 
or  taking  up  goods  without  a  probability  of 
paying  for  them. 

2.  That  we  do  good  by  being  in  every  kind 
merciful  after  our  power,  as  we  have  opportu- 
nity, of  every  possible  sort,  and,  as  far  as  is  pos- 
sible, to  all  men  : 

To  their  bodies,  of  the  ability  which  God 
giveth,  by  giving  food  to  the  hungry,  by  cloth- 
ing the  naked,  by  visiting  or  helping  them  that 
are  sick  or  in  prison  : 

To  their  souls,  by  instructing,  reproving,  or 
exhorting  all  we  have  any  intercourse  with ; 
trampling  under  foot  that  erroneous  doctrine, 


3S 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


that  "  We  are  not  to  do  good  unless  our  hearts 
be  free  to  it :" 

By  doing  good,  especially  to  them  that  are 
of  the  household  of  faith,  or  groaning  so  to  he ; 
employing  them  preferably  to  others,  buying 
one  of  another,  helping  each  other  in  business, 
and  so  much  the  more  because  the  world  will 
love  its  own : 

By  all  possible  diligence  and  frugality,  that 
the  Gospel  be  not  blamed  : 

By  running  with  patience  the  race  that  is 
set  before  us,  denying  ourselves,  and  taking  up 
our  cross  daily;  submitting  to  bear  the  re- 
proach of  Christ;  to  be  as  the  filth  and  off- 
scouring  of  the  world,  and  looking  that  men 
should  "  say  all  manner  of  evil  of  us  falsely, 
for  the  Lord's  sake." 

3.  That  we  attend  on  all  the  ordinances  of 
God ;  such  are  : 

The  public  worship  of  God :  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  either  read  or  expounded  ;  contributing 
of  our  substance  for  the  support  of  the  same  : 
Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  ;  family 
and  private  prayer  ;  searching  the  Scriptures 
and  meditating  thereon. 


FAITII  /.ND  PRACTICE. 


39 


SECTION    HI. — ADMISSION   TO  MEMBERSHIP. 
(See  Constitution,  Article  II.) 

1.  Application  for  admission  to  probationary 
membership  should  be  made  to  the  pastor  of 
the  Church,  but  in  case  of  his  absence,  to  the 
associate  pastor,  or  to  a  leader,  who  shall  pre- 
sent the  names  to  the  Church,  and  if  there  be 
no  objection,  the  names  of  the  applicants  shall 
be  entered  upon  the  record  as  probationers. 
In  case  objections  are  made,  the  question  of 
admission  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority  vote 
of  the  Church,  and  they  shall  be  recorded  as 
probationers,  and  the  Church  may  admit  them 
to  full  membership  at  such  time  as  it  shall  be 
satisfied  with  their  Christian  experience. 

2.  The  children  of  our  members,  and  those 
under  their  guardianship,  shall  be  recognized 
as  enjoying  probationary  privileges,  and  held 
as  candidates  for  full  membership,  when  con- 
verted ;  and  they  should  be  put  into  classes  as 
such,  with  the  consent  of  their  parents  or 
guardians. 

3.  Persons  may  be  admitted  to  full  member- 
ship, by  a  majority  of  the  Church  on  profes- 
sion of  faith,  or  on  certificate,  or  other  satis- 
factory evidence  of  good  and  regular  standing 
in  any  other  Church,  provided  the  Church  is 
satisfied  with  their  Christian  character  and 
experience  of  the  candidates. 


40 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


4.  In  cases  where  it  is  practicable,  we 
recommend  the  use  of  the  following  form  in 
the  reception  of  members  into  full  connection. 
After  the  vote  of  reception  has  been  taken, 
the  candidate,  or  candidates,  standing  before 
the  Church,  let  the  officiating  minister  read  the 
following  covenant  to  them: 

COVENANT. 

You  do  solemnly  and  severally  confess  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  to  be  your  God,  the  object  of  your 
supreme  affections  and  your  portion  forever. 
You  cordially  accept  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to 
be  your  lledeemer,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  your 
Sanctifier,  Comforter  and  Guide. 

You  cheerfully  devote  yourselves  to  God  in 
the  everlasting  covenant  of  His  grace,  conse- 
crating all  your  powers  and  faculties  to  His 
service  and  glory.  And  you  promise  that  you 
will  cleave  to  Him  as  your  chief  good  ;  that 
you  will  give  diligent  attention  to  His  word 
and  ordinances ;  that  you  will  seek  the  honor 
and  advancement  of  His  kingdom  ;  and  that 
henceforth,  denying  all  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  you  will  live  soberly,  righteously  and 
godly  in  this  present  world. 

You  do  also  join  yourself  to  this  Church, 
and  agree  to  submit  to  all  its  rules  of  govern- 
ment; to  give  as  Cod  has  given  you  ability, 


FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 


41 


for  the  support  of  the  Gospel,  and  all  the  gen- 
eral interests  of  the  Church  ;  to  seek  earnestly 
its  peace  and  purity  ;  to  walk  with  all  its  mem- 
bers in  charity  and  faithfulness,  in  meekness 
and  sobriety.  Do  you  thus  freely  and  solemnly 
devote  yourselves  to  the  service  of  the  Lord  ? 

[The  folloicing  paragraph  only  is  the  por- 
tion of  the  Covenant  to  be  taken  by  persons 
uniting  by  certificate,  with  the  usual  response 
of  the  Church  folloicing.'] 

You  do  also  cordially  join  yourselves  to  this 
Church,  and  engage  to  submit  to  all  its  rules 
of  government,  to  seek  earnestly  its  peace, 
purity,  and  edification,  and  to  walk  with  all  its 
members  in  charity  and  faithfulness,  in  meek- 
ness and  sobriety.  Do  you  thus  freely  and 
solemnly  devote  yourselves  to  be  the  Lord's  ? 

[Members  of  the  Church  here  arise.'] 

RESPONSE  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

We,  the  members  of  this  Church,  do  cor- 
dially receive  you  as  brethren  and  sisters  be- 
loved to  our  communion  and  fellowship,  and 
promise  to  walk  with  you  in  love,  and  to  watch 
over  you,  to  instruct,  counsel,  admonish  and 
cherish  you.  with  all  long-suffering,  gentleness 
and  love. 

[Here  the  pastor,  in  the  name  of  the  Church, 
will  give  the  right  hand  of  fellowship.] 


PAET  THIRD. 

ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 


JUDICIAL  REGULATIONS. 

(See  Fiftlt  Elementary  Principle  and  Constitution, 
Article  XII.) 

Rule  I. —  Committee  of  Inquiry. 

1.  'If  a  rumor  prejudicial  to  the  moral  char- 
acter of  any  member  of  the  Methodist  Church 
.shall  exist,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  proper 
authority  to  appoint  a  Committee  of  Inquiry, 
of  not  more  than  five  nor  less  than  three. 

2.  If  the  party  complained  of  be  a  layman, 
in  a  Station,  the  Leaders'  Meeting  shall  ap- 
point the  committee.  In  Circuits  or  Missions, 
if  the  party  complained  of  be  a  layman,  an 
unstationed  minister  or  preacher,  the  pastor 
shall  appoint  the  committee.  If  the  party 
complained  of  be  a  member,  or  licentiate  mem- 
ber, of  the  Annual  Conference,  tbe  President 
shall  appoint.  Provided,  if  there  be  no  pastor, 
the  Church  shall  appoint,  and  if  the  President 


ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 


43 


be  tbe  party  complained  of,  the  Chairman  of 
the  District  Committee  shall  appoint  the  Com- 
mittee of  Inquiry. 

3.  The  Committee  shall  make  due  inquiry, 
and  if,  in  their  judgment,  the  case  requires 
judicial  investigation,  they  shall  so  report  to 
the  authority  which  constituted  the  Committee, 
and  the  Committee  shall  make  out  charges  and 
specifications,  based  upon  the  facts  elicited  by 
their  inquiries.  Provided,  that  if  the  rumor 
has  no  just  foundation,  the  Committee  will  so 
report ;  provided  further,  that  in  all  cases,  if 
delinquent  persons  will  make  due  acknowledg- 
ments, and  be  reconciled  to  the  aggrieved  par- 
tics,  the  charges  may  be  waived. 

Rule  II. — Judicial  Committee. 

1.  A  Church,  when  it  shall  judge  it  expe- 
dient, may  appoint  a  Judicial  Committee,  of 
not  less  than  three  persons,  who  shall  remain 
in  office  one  year,  unless  displaced  by  the 
Church.  This  Committee  shall  be  a  standing- 
court  to  try  all  charges  against  any  lay  member 
of  the  Church ;  provided,  that  the  Church 
shall  bave  power  to  refer  any  case  to  a  special 
committee,  when  they  shall  judge  that  to  be 
the  best  way  to  secure  the  ends  of  justice. 
When  the  accused  is  a  female,  female  commit- 
tees may  be  appointed  when  it  is  requested  by 
the  accused  party. 


44  ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 

2.  When  any  person  of  the  Church  is  re- 
ported to  the  Leaders'  Meeting,  the  pastor,  or 
the  President,  as  walking  disorderly,  the  proper 
authorities  shall  appoint  a  Committee  of  In- 
quiry, as  provided  for  in  Ride  I.,  and  if,  upon 
due  inquiry,  the  Committee  are  satisfied  that 
the  person  so  accused  is  bringing  a  reproach 
upon  the  cause  of  God,  they  shall  so  report,  as 
in  same  rule  provided  ;  and  the  pastor  (if  the 
accused  be  a  layman,  or  unstationed  minister  or 
preacher,)  or  President,  (if  the  accused  be  a 
member  of  the  Annual  Conference)  shall  ad- 
monish the  offender.  If  the  person  admon- 
ished will,  by  public  acknowledgment,  where  the 
wrong  lias  been  public,  render  satisfaction  to 
the  Church ;  or  if  tlie  offense  has  been  of  a 
private  character,  and  he  will  be  reconciled  to 
the  aggrieved  party,  by  confessing  his  fault 
privately,  (James  v.  16,)  then  no  further 
notice  shall  be  taken  of  the  case.  But  in 
default  of  such  satisfaction  or  reconciliation  the 
charges  shall  lie. 

Rule  III. 

1 .  In  all  trials  the  pastor  shall  preside  ;  but 
when  the  pastor  shall  be  the  plaintiff,  or  when 
the  Church  shall  have  no  pastor,  the  Church 
may  appoint  some  other  person  to  preside;  and 
in  case  of  its  neglecting  so  to  do,  the  Com- 
mittee shall  select  a  chairman.    Provided,  that 


AD.V IN ISTRATI VE  RULES.  45 

whenever  the  Church,  the  Judicial  Committee, 
or  District  Committee  find  it  necessary  to  ap- 
point a  person  to  preside,  such  presiding  officer 
shall  appoint  a  prosecutor;  provided  further, 
that  nothing  herein  contained  shall  he  so  con- 
strued as  to  preclude  persons  from  preferring 
charges  in  Quarterly  or  Annual  Conferences, 
(as  therein  provided)  where  any  parties  are 
believed  to  be  guilty  of  gross  sins. 

2.  In  all  cases  of  personal  offense  between 
brethren,  the  direction  of  our  Lord,  in  Matt, 
xviii.,  15-17,  shall  be  pursued: 

"  Moreover,  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between 
thee  and  him  alone  ;  if  he  shall  hear  thee, 
thou  hast  gained  thy  brother. 

"  But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take 
with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouths 
of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be 
established. 

"  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell 
it  unto  the  Church  ;  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear 
the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen 
and  a  publican." 

In  default  of  pursuing  the  above  course,  no 
charge  shall  lie  against  any  minister  or  member. 

3.  A  Secretary  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Committee,  to  take  down  regular  minutes  of 
the  evidence  and  proceedings  of  the  trial; 
which,  together  with  a  copy  of  the  decision, 


16 


ADMINISTRATIVE  RILES. 


and  all  other  documents  belonging  to  the  trial, 
shall  be  preserved  by  the  presiding  officer,  who 
shall  furnish  each  of  the  parties  with  a  copy 
of  the  decision,  if  required,  and  he  shall  trans- 
mit a  true  copy  thereof,  in  case  of  appeal  to 
the  Church,  if  it  be  a  lay  member;  to  the 
Quarterly  Conference,  if  it  be  an  unstationed 
minister  or  preacher,  or  to  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence, if  it  be  a  member  thereof ;  except  as 
provided  in  the  rules  of  Quarterly  and  Annual 
Conferences,  the  presiding  officer  shall  always 
appoint  the  prosecutor. 

4.  In  all  cases  of  trial,  a  bill  shall  be  made 
out,  setting  forth  the  charge,  or  charges,  with 
the  specifications  in  writing,  and  a  copy  of  the 
same  shall  be  served  upon  the  accused  by  the 
chairman  of  the  court,  allowing  the  accused  a 
reasonable  time  to  prepare  foi  trial,  which  shall 
not  be  less  than  ten  days,  unless  by  consent  of 
the  parties. 

5.  When  charges  against  any  lay  member 
are  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  pastor,  or  his 
legal  substitute,  (if  such  charges  are  not  waived, 
as  provided  for  in  Rule  2,)  he  shall  proceed  to 
try  the  case  before  the  Judicial  Committee. 
Provided,  if  there  be  no  Judicial  Committee, 
or  the  Church  neglects  to  appoint  a  Committee 
of  trial,  then  the  presiding  officer  shall  appoint. 
If  charges,  by  Committee  of  Inquiry  or  the 
Quarterly  Conference,  against  an  unstationed 


ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 


47 


minister  or  preacher  be  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  pastor,  or  such  other  minister  as  shall  be 
appointed  to  act  in  his  stead,  unless  the  charges 
are  withdrawn,  as  provided  in  Rule  2.  said 
officiating  minister  shall  proceed  to  summon, 
of  the  peers  of  the  accused,  a  Committee  of 
trial,  of  not  less  than  three  members. 

6.  Charges  against  any  member  or  licentiate 
of  the  Annual  Conference,  as  provided  in  item 
5,  shall  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Presi- 
dent, who  shall  (unless  the  charges  be  waived, 
as  provided  in  other  cases,)  cite  the  accused  to 
appear  before  a  committee  of  at  least  three 
ministers  or  preachers,  which  he  shall  select, 
and,  acting  as  chairman,  he  shall  proceed  to  try 
the  case  ;  provided,  if  the  President  be  the 
accused  party,  the  chairman  of  the  District 
Committee,  shall  appoint  the  Committee  of 
Inquiry,  and  if  charges  are  preferred,  he  shall 
appoint  a  minister,  who  shall  fulfill  all  the 
duties  of  a  presiding  officer,  as  in  the  trial  of 
other  cases. 

Rnh  IV. 

A  complaint  against  an  offending  Church 
shall  be  presented  to  the  President  of  the  Con- 
ference, or  in  case  he  be  the  pastor  of  the 
Church  accused,  to  any  other  minister,  provided 
he  belong  to  some  other  charge,  who  shall  call 
a  committee  of  five  male  members,  to  assemble 


48  ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 

at  the  place  where  said  Church  holds  its  regu- 
lar religious  meetings,  and  shall  preside  during 
the  trial.  Before  this  committee,  the  Church, 
having  been  duly  summoned,  shall  appear  by 
its  representative.  If  the  Church  shall  be 
found  guilty  of  having  violated  the  Element- 
ary Principles,  or  the  Constitution,  or  any  of 
our  essential  disciplinary  regulations,  the  same 
shall  be  reported  to  the  ensuing  Annual  Con- 
ference, before  which  the  Church  may  appear 
by  its  representative  in  self-defence,  and  if  the 
decision  of  the  committee  be  confirmed,  the 
Church  shall  be  stricken  from  the  list  of 
Churches  on  the  Conference  record. 

Rule  V. 

1.  The  accused  may  object  to  any  membei 
of  the  committee,  on  account  of  his  having 
prejudged  the  case,  being  prejudiced  against 
the  accused,  or  of  being  interested  in  the 
decision.  The  challenge  may  extend  to  any 
number  equal  to  the  original  committee.  The 
accused  shall  also  be  allowed  to  introduce  and 
examine  witnesses,  and  to  be  heard  in  self- 
fence,  and  to  have  the  assistance  of  any  minis- 
ter or  member  of  the  Church. 

2.  The  chairman  shall  decide  all  questions 
of  law  that  may  be  raised  during  the  progress 
of  any  trial ;  but  the  committee  shall,  by  a 
majority  of  votes,  decide  the  guilt  or  innocence 


ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES.  49 


of  the  accused,  and  if  he  be  convicted,  they 
shall  determine  what  punishment  shall  be 
awarded ;  reproof,  suspension,  deposition,  or 
expulsion ;  and  the  executive  minister  shall 
carry  the  same  into  effect. 

3.  Every  person  convicted  before  a  com- 
mittee, designing  to  appeal,  shall  signify,  in 
writing,  to  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  his 
intention  to  do  so,  within  twenty  days  after  the 
close  of  the  trial,  or  his  appeal  shall  not  be 
entertained. 

4.  If  any  accused  minister,  preacher,  or 
member  evade  trial  by  absenting  himself,  after 
due  notice  shall  have  been  given  him,  the  in- 
vestigation before  the  committee  shall,  never- 
theless, be  instituted,  and  the  testimony  heard ; 
and  if  a  majority  of  the  committee  find  him 
guilty  of  the  charge,  or  charges,  the  executive 
minister  shall  carry  the  sentence  into  effect. 
If  any  minister  or  preacher  withdraws  from  the 
Church  after  he  has  been  cited  to  trial,  and 
during  the  pendency  of  the  case,  he  shall 
thereby  forfeit  his  license  or  ordination  testi- 
monials. 

Rule  VI. 

1.  On  any  dispute  between  two  or  more 
members  of  our  Church,  concerning  the  pay- 
ment of  debts,  or  otherwise,  which  cannot  be 
settled  by  the  parties  concerned,  the  pastor 


50  ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 


shall  recommend  to  the  contending  parties  a 
reference,  consisting  of  one  arbiter  chosen  by 
the  plaintiff,  and  another  by  the  defendant; 
the  two  arbiters  to  choose  a  third,  a  majority 
of  whom  shall  decide  the  case. 

2.  When  any  minister,  preacher,  or  member 
of  our  Church  fails  in  business,  and  applies 
for  the  benefit  of  the  insolvent  laws,  and  there 
be  no  reason  to  believe  that  he  has  been  guilty 
of  dishonesty,  or  if  he  require  an  investigation, 
a  committee  shall  be  appointed  as  in  other 
cases ;  and  if  there  be  evidence  to  said  com- 
mittee that  there  has  been  intentional  fraud, 
the  said  minister,  preacher,  or  member,  shall 
be  dealt  with  as  in  other  cases  of  immorality. 
Where  it  shall  appear  to  the  Committee  of 
Inquiry  that  there  is  no  proper  ground  of  cen- 
sure, the  committee  shall  furnish  a  certificate 
of  honorable  acquittal. 

Rule  VII. 

Persons  whose  names  are  on  the  Church 
register,  and  cannot  be  found,  or  have  ceased 
altogether  to  take  an  interest  in  the  Church, 
may  be  dropped  from  the  record,  by  a  vote  of 
the  Church.  Provided,  that  in  stations  these 
changes  may  be  made  by  the  Official  Board. 


PART  FOURTH 


Government  of  the  Church. 


SECTION   I. — CHURCH   AND   LEADERS'  MEET- 
INGS. 

1.  It  is  recommended  that  in  Circuits,  stated 
meetings  of  the  Church  be  held  quarterly  or 
oftener,  at  which  the  reports  of  leaders, 
stewards,  trustees  and  Sunday  School  super- 
intendents may  be  received,  and  such  business 
transacted  as  the  interests  of  the  society  may 
require. 

2.  In  every  station  where  there  are  two 
classes  or  more,  there  shall  be  held,  monthly,  a 
Leaders'  Meeting,  composed  of  all  the  class 
leaders  and  stewards,  together  with  the  pastor, 
who  shall  be  chairman  of  the  meeting. 

3.  Each  meeting  shall  be  opened  with  prayer. 
A  secretary  shall  be  appointed  annually,  or 
oftener  if  necessary,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
make  a  fair  record  of  the  proceedings,  in  a 
book  kept  for  that  purpose. 

4.  The  names  of  all  the  leaders  and  stewards 
Bhall  be  called  over,  noting  those  present  or 


52        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


absent,  and  the  amount  each  leader  pays  over 
to  the  stewards  or  treasurer,  as  weekly,  monthly, 
or  quarterly  collections  from  his  class. 

5.  The  leaders'  class-books  shall  be  examined 
quarterly  by  the  meeting. 

G.  The  Leaders'  Meetings  shall  occasionally 
inquire  into  the  punctuality  of  each  leader  in 
meeting  his  class,  visiting  the  sick  and  delin- 
quent members,  and  his  attendance  at  the 
Leaders'  Meeting,  and  all  prudential  means 
shall  be  employed  to  induce  faithfulness  in  the 
discharge  of  these  important  duties. 

7.  Inquiry  shall  be  made  at  each  meeting 
for  the  sick,  and  those  who  may  need  a  pastoral 
visit. 

8.  All  appropriations  for  the  relief  of  the 
poor  in  the  station,  shall  be  made  by  the  Lead- 
ers' Meeting  and  applied  by  the  stewards,  who 
shall  visit  the  suffering  member  or  members, 
in  company  with  the  leader,  and  administer  to 
their  necessities  in  the  manner  prescribed  by 
the  meeting. 

9.  The  stewards  shall  pay  over  to  the  pastor, 
through  their  treasurer,  the  class  collections, 
and  all  such  other  moneys  as  may  come  into 
their  hands  as  pastor's  salary. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  53 


SECTION  ir. — QUARTERLY  CONFERENCE. 
(See  Constitution,  Article  V.) 

1.  The  Quarterly  Conference  shall  he  called 
to  order  by  the  pastor,  when  present,  who  shall 
preside  ;  provided,  the  Conference  may  appoint 
some  other  person  to  preside  when  they  shall 
judge  it  necessary.  The  Conference  shall  be 
opened  by  reading  a  portion  of  Scripture  and 
prayer.  The  first  Quarterly  Conference  in 
each  year  shall  elect  a  secretary,  whose  term  of 
office  shall  continue  until  the  election  of  his 
successor,  the  succeeding  year.  One-third  of 
all  the  members  in  stations,  and  one-sixth  in 
circuits  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

2.  Should  a  charge  of  immorality,  neglect 
of  Christian  duty,  or  of  disseminating  unscrip- 
tural  doctrines  be  preferred  against  any  member 
of  the  Conference  during  the  examination,  the 
accusation,  together  with  the  names  of  the 
accuser  and  witnesses,  shall  be  referred  to  the 
proper  authorities,  to  be  investigated  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution 
and  the  Discipline.  When  a  case  is  so  referred, 
a  prosecutor  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Confer- 
ence in  behalf  of  the  Church. 

3.  The  first  Quarterly  Conference  in  each 
Conference  year,  shall  appoint  a  Committee  of 
Examination,  to  assist,  advise,  and  examine 
candidates  for  the  ministry.    It  shall  be  the 


54        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


duty  of  the  committee  to  see  that  the  candi- 
dates pursue  the  course  of  reading  prescribed 
by  the  Discipline,  to  examine  them  occasionally 
on  doctrines  and  religious  experience;  and 
when  they  shall  have  made  the  necessary 
attainments,  to  give  them  a  written  testimonial 
of  their  qualifications.  But  no  committee  shall 
give  a  testimonial  unless  the  candidate  be  a 
man  of  unexceptionable  moral  character,  genuine 
piety,  and  have  respectable  attainments ;  at 
least  an  ability  to  state  and  defend  the  leading- 
doctrines  of  Christianity. 

And  after  he  shall  have  been  licensed,  he 
shall  continue  under  the  inspection  of  the 
Committee  of  Examination,  in  view  of  his 
ordination. 

No  person  shall  be  licensed  to  preach  except 
he  present  a  testimonial  from  the  Committee  of 
Examination. 

The  following  questions  shall  be  put  to  each 
candidate,  and  if  he  answer  them  satisfactorily 
he  may  be  licensed  : 

Have  you  faith  in  Christ,  and  are  you  striv- 
ing to  be  holy  in  heart,  and  in  all  manner  of 
conversation  ? 

Have  you  any  other  motive  in  requesting 
license  to  preach,  than  a  desire  to  be  instru- 
mental in  edifying  the  Church  of  God,  calling- 
sinners  to  repentance,  and  saving  your  own 
soul  and  those  that  hear  you? 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


55 


Do  you  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments  contain  all  things 
necessary  to  salvation  ? 

Have  you  examined  our  Constitution  and 
Discipline:  do  you  approve  of  them,  and  are 
you  willing  to  comply  with  their  requirements? 

Are  you  solvent  ? 

4.  The  Quarterly  Conference,  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  the  pastor,  shall  have 
authority  to  make  all  necessary  alterations  in 
the  circuit  or  station,  and  to  provide  for  filling 
all  the  appointments  during  the  interval  of  the 
Annual  Conference. 

5.  The  Quarterly  Conference  shall  determine 
its  place  of  meeting,  and  the  pastor  shall  ap- 
point the  time,  and  give  due  notice  of  the  same, 
and  he  may  call  special  meetings  when  import- 
ant business  demands  it. 

6.  The  Quarterly  Conference  shall  have 
authority,  at  its  first  session  in  each  year,  to 
appoint  a  standing  Advisory  Committee,  of 
thre  e  or  five,  who  shall  assist  the  pastor,  by 
their  advice  and  counsel,  in  all  important  acts 
of  his  administration  ;  and  with  whom  he  shall 
consult,  at  least  once  a  quarter,  for  the  purpose 
of  receiving  such  suggestions  as  they  may 
deem  necessary  for  the  prosperity  and  success 
of  the  work. 

7.  In  every  case  where  a  parsonage  belongs 
to  a  circuit,  the  Quarterly  Conference  shall 


56        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


have  authority  to  elect,  or  cause  to  be  elected, 
trustees  thereof,  in  accordance  with  the  statute 
laws  of  the  State,  to  hold  said  property  for  the 
benefit  of  such  circuit. 

8.  The  Quarterly  Conference,  in  conjunction 
with  the  pastor,  shall  have  authority  to  receive 
ministers  and  preachers  from  other  denomina- 
tions, on  satisfactory  testimonials. 

9.  In  all  appeals  brought  before  the  Quar- 
terly Conference,  the  same  order  shall  be  ob- 
served, and  the  same  privileges  accorded  to  the 
appellant  and  accuser,  as  are  granted  in  aj>peals 
before  the  Annual  Conference. 

10.  The  following  order  of  business  is  re- 
commended  to  the    Quarterly  Conferences: 

When  the  Conference  shall  have  been  organ- 
ized, let  the  list  of  members  be  called  over  by 
the  secretary,  noting  those  present  and  absent, 
after  which  the  chairman  shall  present  the  fol- 
lowing questions  and  items: 

(1.)  Are  there  any  objections  to  any  mem- 
bers of  the  Quarterly  Conference  ? 

(2.)  Are  there  any  appeals  pending  ? 

(3.)  Are  there  any  applications  for  license 
to  exhort ;  or  any  to  renew  ?  or  for  license  to 
preach  ;  or  to  renew  ? 

(4.)  Are  there  any  to  recommend  for  orders? 
or  to  serve  under  the  stationing  authority  of 
the  Annual  Conference  ? 

(5.)  Are  there  any  applications  from  minis- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  57 


ters  or  preachers,  to  become  members  of  this 
Quarterly  Conference  ? 

(6.)  Are  there  any  changes  in  the  time  and 
place  for  preaching  desired? 

(7.)  Are  there  any  additions  to,  or  correc- 
tions of  the  register  to  make  ? 

(8.)  Who  will  you  have  for  the  Advisory 
Committee  ? 

(9.)  Who  will  you  have  for  the  Committee 
on  Examination? 

(10.)  Where  will  you  have  your  next  quar- 
terly meeting  ? 

(11.)  Is  there  any  incidental  business  ? 

(12.)  Call  for  report  of  Stewards. 

SECTION  III. — ANNUAL  CONFERENCE. 

(See  Constitution,  Article  VI.) 

1.  The  Conference  shall  bo  called  to  order 
by  the  President  of  the  preceding  year,  who 
shall  open  it  by  reading  the  Scriptures  and 
prayer,  and  shall  preside  until  a  new  President 
is  elected.  If  the  President  is  not  present,  the 
Conference  shall  appoint  a  President,  pro  tern., 
who  shall  act  until  the  election.  A  Secretary 
shall  be  appointed,  to  serve  during  the  sitting 
of  the  Conference,  and  until  the  ensuing  Con- 
ference. 

2.  The  C  nference  shall  be  judge  of  election 
returns,  and  qualifications  of  the  delegates,  or 


58        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


alternates  who  have  been  elected  to  serve  in- 
stead of  the  delegates.  A  majority  of  all  the 
members  in  attendance  shall  constitute  a  quo- 
rum. 

3.  Should  a  charge  of  immorality  be  pre- 
ferred against  any  ministerial  member  of  the 
Conference,  during  the  examination  of  char- 
acter, and  if  the  Conference  see  sufficient  rea- 
son to  justify  it,  the  accusation,  together  with 
the  names  of  the  accuser  and  witnesses,  shall 
be  referred  to  the  President  of  the  Conference, 
to  be  investigated  by  committee,  in  the  circuit 
or  station  where  the  supposed  offense  is  alleged 
to  have  been  committed  ;  and  the  Conference 
shall  appoint  a  prosecutor  in  behalf  of  the 
Church.  When  charges  are  preferred  against 
a  minister  or  preacher  in  the  interval  of  Con- 
ference, the  President  shall  appoint  the  prose- 
cutor. The  Annual  Conferences,  respectively, 
shall  provide  for  the  payment  of  any  expense 
incurred  in  bringing  committees  from  a  dis- 
tance to  take  part  in  judicial  investigations. 

4.  Ministers  or  preachers  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  in  order  to  be  eligible  to  membership 
in  an  Annual  Conference,  must  have  a  written 
recommendation  from  a  Quarterly  Conference, 
or  a  certificate  from  some  other  Annual  Con- 
ference, or  the  President  thereof.  No  minister 
shall  be  placed  on  the  supernumerary  or  super- 
annuated list,  except  by  vote  of  the  Annual 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  59 


Conference.  Neither  shall  any  minister  be 
recognized  as  belonging  to  our  body,  whose 
name  is  not  recorded  on  the  list  of  some  Quar- 
terly or  Annual  Conference,  to  which  he  is 
amenable,  or  who  does  not  hold  a  valid  certifi- 
cate or  legal  transfer. 

5.  No  Conference  shall  have  power  to  with- 
hold a  testimonial,  if  the  minister  or  preacher 
requiring  it  shall  have  complied  with  his  engage- 
ments, and  his  moral  character  stands  fair ; 
but  neither  the  Conference  into  which  the 
minister  or  preacher  wishes  to  be  received,  nor 
its  President,  shall  be  obliged  to  employ  him  as 
an  itinerant  or  missionary,  except  his  labors 
can  be  profitably  directed. 

6.  Every  minister  or  preacher  received  by 
the  President,  during  the  interval  of  Confer- 
ence, shall  be  subjected  to  a  vote  of  the  Con- 
ference, before  his  name  can  be  printed  in  the 
Minutes  as  a  stationed  minister  or  preacher, 
except  in  cases  of  transfer. 

7.  Ministers  laboring  under  the  direction  of 
the  Conference,  may  be  transferred  from  one 
District  to  another,  by  negotiations  between 
the  Presidents  of  said  Districts;  provided,  the 
minister  or  preacher  consents  to  the  transfer ; 
and,  provided,  the  instrument  have  the  signa- 
ture of  both  Presidents  ;  and,  provided,  also, 
that  it  be  presented  to  the  Annual  Conference 
to  which  the  minister  or  preacher  is  to  be 


60        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

transferred  before  it  shall  have  closed  its 
session,  next  following  the  date  of  the  transfer  ; 
otherwise  it  shall  not  be  valid.  The  transfer, 
when  made  for  a  period  not  exceeding  three 
years,  shall  be  viewed  as  temporary;  and,  if 
the  minister  or  preacher  return  to  his  own 
Conference  before  or  at  the  time  specified,  he 
shall,  if  his  moral  character  stand  fair,  be  again 
admitted  to  membership,  and  shall  be  entitled 
to  all  the  privileges  and  claims  he  would  have 
possessed  had  he  not  been  thus  transferred. 
All  ministers  and  preachers  holding  transfers, 
shall  be  responsible  to  the  authorities  of  the 
Conference  giving  such  transfer,  until  the 
transfer  shall  receive  the  signature  of  the 
President  of  the  Conference  to  which  he  de- 
signs to  make  his  application. 

8.  Ministers  and  preachers  coming  from 
other  denominations  may  be  received  and  cm- 
ployed  by  the  Annual  Conference,  provided, 
they  present  suitable  testimonials  of  good 
standing;  and,  provided,  also,  the  Conference 
shall  be  satisfied  with  the  faith,  Christian 
experience  and  qualifications  of  the  applicant. 

9  Any  minister  may  retire  from  the  service 
of  the  Conference,  and  be  received  back  again 
without  recommendation  from  the  Quarterly 
Conference,  if  he  make  the  application  within 
three  years  ;  provided,  his  moral  character  stand 
fair.    An  Annual  Conference  may  leave  a  min- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  61 


ister  without  an  appointment,  at  his  own  re- 
quest, the  ensuing  year.  When  any  minister 
is  so  left,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the 
Quarterly  Conference  where  he  may  reside  ; 
but  shall  be  ultimately  responsible  to  the  An- 
nual Conference.  A  superannuated  minister 
shall  likewise  have  a  seat  in  the  Quarterly  Con- 
ference of  the  circuit  or  station  where  he  may 
reside,  and  be  ultimately  accountable  to  the 
Annual  Conference. 

This  rule  shall  apply  to  editors,  book  agents, 
presidents  of  colleges,  professors,  etc.,  as  well  to 
those  living  beyond  the  bounds  of  their  Annual 
Conferences  as  those  living  within  the  bounds 
thereof. 

10.  No  minister  or  preacher  who  shall  have 
been  rejected  by  an  Annual  Conference  shall 
be  employed  by  its  President,  unless  the  Con- 
ference grant  him  permission  under  specified 
conditions. 

11.  Every  preacher  shall  be  eligible  to 
Elder's  orders  after  he  shall  have  preached  three 
years  under  a  license,  one  year  of  which  shall 
have  been  as  a  licentiate  in  the  Methodist 
Church.  Provided,  that  no  applicant  shall  be 
elected  to  orders  who  shall  not  first  undergo 
an  examination  by  the  Committee  on  Orders 
appointed  by  the  Annual  Conference ;  provided, 
further,  that  when  it  is  impracticable  for  the 
applicant  to  attend,  of  which  the  Annual  Con- 


62        GOVERNMENT  OP  THE  CHURCH. 


ference  shall  judge,  the  Annual  Conference 
may  appoint  a  Committee  of  Examination, 
upon  whose  recommendation  he  may  be  elected 
by  the  Annual  Conference,  and  ordained  in  the 
interval  of  the  Conference,  as  provided  in  the 
Discipline ;  and,  provided,  further,  that  the 
President  shall  be  chairman  of  the  committee. 

12.  In  cases  of  missions  and  similar  neces- 
sities, preachers  may  be  elected  to  Elder's 
orders,  without  regard  to  time,  provided, 
they  possess  the  requisite  qualifications. 

13.  No  man  shall  be  elected  to  Elder's 
orders,  unless  he  be  a  man  of  unexceptionable 
moral  character,  genuine  piety,  respectable 
attainments,  and  sound  in  the  belief  of  the 
fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity,  as  held 
by  the  Methodist  Church,  and  faithful  in  the 
discharge  of  G-ospel  duties. 

14.  The  Elders  shall  have  authority  to 
administer  the  Lord's  Supper,  baptize,  and 
celebrate  matrimony,  and  perform  all  parts  of 
divine  worship. 

15.  Ordination  shall  be  performed  by  the 
President,  assisted  by  two  or  more  other 
Elders. 

16.  Every  person  who  appeals  to  the  Annual 
Conference,  from  a  decision  of  a  Committee  of 
Trial,  shall  be  permitted  to  appear  before  the 
Conference,  and  state  the  reasons  of  his  ap- 
peal.   When  the  Conference  shall  have  decided 


GOVERNMENT  OP  THE  CHURCH.  63 

that  his  appeal  is  valid,  then  all  the  documents 
belonging  to  the  trial,  had  before  the  committee, 
shall  be  read,  after  which,  his  accuser  shall  be 
permitted  to  support  his  charges  in  the  presence 
of  the  appellant.  The  appellant  may  in  turn 
make  his  reply,  which  shall  close  the  proceed- 
ings on  both  sides,  unless  the  Conference  grant 
the  accuser  permission  to  speak  a  second  time. 
The  appellant  and  accuser  shall  then  retire, 
and  the  Conference  shall  decide,  and  furnish 
the  appellant  with  a  copy  of  the  decision.  In 
all  trials  on  appeals,  the  court  shall  not  go 
beyond  the  record  of  the  court  below,  but  shall 
decide  in  view  of  the  pleadings  and  evidence 
therein  contained ;  unless  the  accused  shall 
have  given  notice  at  the  time  he  signified  his 
intention  to  appeal,  that  he  should  request  the 
upper  court  to  open  the  whole  merits  of  the 
case,  when  new  testimony  may  be  introduced, 
and  the  court  shall  give  its  own  and  final 
decision  in  the  case.  When  the  appeal  is  tried 
upon  the  record  of  the  court  below,  the  decision 
shall  acquit  the  accused,  or  confirm  the  judg- 
ment rendered  below,  or  order  a  new  trial. 
These  rules  shall  apply  to  appeals  to  Churches 
and  Quarterly  Conferences. 

17.  Each  Annual  Conference,  respectively, 
shall  have  power  to  make  its  own  rules  and 
regulations  in  regard  to  stationing  its  ministers 
and  preachers,  provided  it  shall  make  no  rule 


64       GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


inconsistent  with  the  Constitution  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

1 8.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  of 
each  Annual  Conference,  at  each  of  its  annual 
sessions,  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Conference 
to  the  claims  of  the  missionary,  educational, 
and  such  other  general  interests  of  the  Church 
as  may  properly  come  before  them,  for  such 
action  as  may  be  deemed  necessary. 

19.  The  Conference  shall  divide  the  District 
into  circuits  and  stations,  change  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  same,  and  form  new  charges  from 
year  to  year,  as  the  interest  of  the  work 
demands ;  provided,  that  no  station  or  circuit 
shall  be  divided,  unless  each  part  have  ability 
to  support  one  or  more  preachers,  and  the 
delegate  or  delegates  from  the  circuit  or  station 
request  the  division. 

20.  The  Conference  shall  not  be  required  to 
appoint  ministers  and  preachers  to  circuits  and 
stations,  who,  in  their  opinion,  are  incompetent 
to  the  duties  thereof,  or  who  they  believe  will 
neglect  the  work,  if  it  be  assigned  to  them; 
and  Conference  may  transfer  such  ministers 
and  preachers  to  the  unstationed  list ;  provided, 
this  rule  shall  not  authorize  the  Conference  to 
transfer  to  the  unstationed  list,  any  who  are 
entitled  to  a  place  on  the  superannuated  list. 

21.  No  minister  or  preacher,  engaged  to 
serve  a  circuit  or  station  under  the  direction  of 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CIU7RCH.  65 


the  Conference,  shall  abandon  his  work  before 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  unless 
by  consent  of  the  President,  who  may  release 
him  for  satisfactory  reasons. 

22.  The  Animal  Conferences,  respectively, 
shall  elect,  annually,  a  Standing  District  Com- 
mittee of  three  Elders,  one  of  "whom  shall  be 
an  unstationed  minister,  and  three  laymen, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be,  in  the  event  of  the 
death,  resignation,  or  suspension  of  the  Presi- 
dent, to  appoint  a  President  pro  tern.,  to  serve 
until  the  sitting  of  the  next  Annual  Confer- 
ence. 

Should  charges  be  preferred  against  the 
President  of  an  Annual  Conference,  the  com- 
mittee shall  call  upon  an  Elder  residing  in  the 
District  to  perform  the  official  notifications, 
and  to  act  as  executive  officer  in  the  trial,  in 
accordance  with  the  rule  provided  for  the  trial 
of  ministers. 

23.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  minister 
and  preacher  engaged  in  regular  pastoral  work, 
to  furnish,  annually,  to  the  steward  of  the  Con- 
ference of  which  he  is  a  member,  a  report  of 
the  amount  of  compensation  received  during 
the  preceding  year. 

24.  Each  Annual  Conference  shall  cause  the 
following  statistics  to  be  reported  from  the 
various  charges  each  year  ;  viz. :  Number  of 
ministers,   stationed    and    unstationed,  and 

3 


66        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


preachers;  number  of  members;  number  of 
probationers ;  number  received  during  the 
year  ;  number  deceased  ;  number  withdrawn  ; 
number  removed  ;  number  discontinued  ;  num- 
ber of  increase  or  decrease,  (as  the  case  may 
be,)  in  the  membership  during  the  year  ;  num- 
ber and  value  of  Church  edifices  and  parson  - 
ages ;  number  of  Church  periodicals  taken ; 
number  of  Sabbath  Schools,  teachers  and 
scholars  ;  number  of  conversions  ;  number  of 
volumes  in  Sabbath  School  library  ;  amounts 
paid  for  benevolent  purposes ;  the  names  of 
unstationed  ministers  and  preachers  should 
also  be  registered  and  published  in  the  Minutes 
of  the  Conference  within  who.se  bounds  they 
hold  their  membership. 

25.  No  member  of  Conference  shall  with- 
draw himself  from  its  sittings  without  permis- 
sion, until  all  the  business  shall  have  been 
transacted. 

26.  It  shaH  be  the  duty  of  every  minister 
belonging  to  the  Annual  Conference  to  attend 
its  annual  sessions,  or  if  unable  to  attend,  to 
inform  the  Conference  by  letter  of  said  inability, 
and  the  causes  thereof.  Any  minister  who 
shall  neglect  the  above  duty  shall  be  subject  to 
the  censure  of  the  Conference  ;  and,  if  per- 
sisted in  for  two  years  in  succession,  shall  be 
liable  to  lose  his  membership  in  said  Confer- 
ence by  a   vote    thereof.     No   minister  oi 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  67 

preacher,  in  good  health,  shall  be  left  without 
regular  ministerial  work  for  more  than  three 
years  in  succession.  He  shall,  at  the  end  of 
that  time,  resume  his  itinerant  labors,  or  he 
shall  be  transferred  to  the  unstationed  list. 
Provided,  this  provision  shall  not  apply  to 
editors,  agents  and  secretaries,  who  are  engaged 
in  the  service  of  the  General  Conference,  or 
any  of  its  regular  Boards,  or  to  persons  engaged 
as  teachers  in  our  colleges  or  seminaries  of 
learning,  or  to  persons  entitled  to  a  supernu- 
merary relation  to  the  Conference.  All  min- 
isters transferred  to  the  unstationed  list  are  en- 
titled to  a  certificate  of  standing  from  the 
Secretary  of  the  Conference,  with  which  to 
unite  with  a  local  charge. 

27.  When  circumstances  make  it  necessary, 
the  Annual  Conference  may  supply  the  place 
of  the  President  in  ordinations,  by  substitut- 
ing any  other  Elder  in  his  stead. 

28.  In  all  cases  where  an  Annual  Confer- 
ence shall  omit  or  decline  to  prescribe  the 
mode  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  Annual 

*    Conference,  the  following  shall  be  the  rule  : 

In  the  stations,  the  election  shall  be  by  the 
members,  under  the  direction  of  the  stewards, 
who  shall  designate  the  time  and  place,  and 
serve  as  judges  of  the  election.  Every  election 
shall  be  by  ballot,  and  be  held  at  least  ten  days 
before  the  sitting  of  the  Annual  Conference. 


68        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


Notice  shall  be  given  on  the  preceding  Sab- 
bath, from  the  pulpit,  or  pulpits,  of  the  time 
and  place  of  holding  the  election.  No  person 
shall  be  declared  elected  except  he  have  a 
majority  of  all  the  votes  given. 

In  circuits  the  delegates  shall  be  elected 
by  ballot,  at  the  Quarterly  Conference  next 
preceding  the  sitting  of  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence, under  the  direction  of  the  stewards,  who 
shall  act  as  judges  of  the  election.  In  this  and 
other  elections,  and  in  settlement  of  all  ques- 
tions requiring  a  vote  of  the  Chureh,  all  mem- 
bers shall  be  entitled  to  vote.  (See  Constitu- 
tion, Art.  VIII.,  relating  to  station  and  circuit 
stewards. — Eds.) 

29.  We  recommend  the  following,  as  the 
Order  of  Business  to  be  observed  in  the  Annual 
Conference : 

1.  When  the  Annual  Conference  shall  have 
been  organized,  let  the  certificates  of  all  the 
delegates  be  examined,  and  a  complete  list  of 
all  the  members  of  the  Conference  be  made 
out. 

2.  Elect  the  President  for  the  ensuing  year.  * 

3.  Appoint  the  following  committees,  and 
such  others  as  may  be  deemed  necessary: 

(1.)  A  Committee  on  Boundaries  of  Sta- 
tions, Circuits  and  Missions. 

(2.)  A  Stationing  Committee,  if  such  shall 
be  agreed  upon,  as  per  paragraph  17, Section  111. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  G9 

(3.)  A  Committee  to  Examine  Candidates 
for  Orders,  and  persons  recommended  to  be 
employed  under  the  direction  of  the  Confer- 
ence. 

(4.)  A  Committee  on  Religious  Services 
during  the  sitting  of  the  Conference. 

(5.)  A  Committee  on  Statistics. 

(6.)  A  Committee  to  prepare  the  Minutes 
for  Publication,  Obituaries,  etc. 

(7.)  The  Standing  District  Committee. 

4.  Appoint  a  Conference  Steward,  and  a 
committee  to  assist  him,  if  any  be  judged 
necessary. 

5.  Examine  the  official  conduct  of  all  the 
ministers  and  preachers  laboring  under  the 
direction  of  the  Conference. 

In  the  examination  of  character,  these  ques- 
tions shall  be  asked : 

{To  the  Conference.} 
Is  there  any  objection  to  Brother  A.? 
{To  the  Pastor.) 

1.  When  did  you  reach  your  field  of  labor? 

2.  When  did  you  leave  it? 

3.  Did  you  take  up  the  collections  ordered 
by  the  Book  of  Discipline  and  this  Annual 
Conference  ? 

4.  Have  you  attended  the  missionary  meet- 
ings in  your  District?  If  not,  what  reason 
have  you  to  assign  for  your  absence  ?  And 


70        GOVERNMENT  OP  THE  CHUItOH. 


the  Conference  shall  judge  of  the  reasons,  mid 
act  accordingly. 

{To  the  Delegate.) 

Was  Brother  A.  faithful  in  his  ministerial 
and  pastoral  duties  ? 

6.  Receive  ministers  and  preachers  to  be 
employed  under  the  direction  of  the  Confer- 
ence. 

7.  Elect  to  orders. 

8.  Grant  superannuated  relations. 

9.  Receive  and  hear  appeals  from  Committees 
of  Trial. 

10.  Hear  and  act  upon  the  report  of  the 
Stationing  Committee. 

11.  Receive  the  general  exhibit  of  tl">  Con- 
ference Steward. 

12.  Call  for  the  report  of  the  Committee  on 
Statistics. 

13.  Appoint  the  time  and  place  for  holding 
the  succeeding  Annual  Conference;  provided, 
that  when  a  President  and  Standing  Committee, 
or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  be  satisfied  of  the 
necessity  of  so  doing,  they  may  change  the 
time  or  place  for  holding  the  succeeding  An- 
nual Conference,  by  giving  public  notice  there- 
of in  the  District,  at  least  three  months  prei  i- 
ous  to  the  time  of  holding  such  Conference. 

If  there  be  any  unfinished  business  reported 
as  standing  on  the  past  year's  journal,  it  may 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  71 


be  taken  up  under  its  proper  head,  or  at  any 
time  the  Conference  may  deem  proper;  and 
any  incidental  matter  may  be  introduced  after 
the  regular  business  of  the  Conference  shall 
have  been  completed. 

14.  Elect  representatives  to  the  General 
Conference;  and  forward  by  them  its  journal, 
for  reference  and  examination,  by  said  Confer- 
ence. 

15.  Each  Annual  Conference,  at  its  session 
next  prior  to  the  session  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence, shall  order  a  collection  to  be  made  through- 
out its  bounds,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  its 
representatives  to  the  G  eneral  Conference. 

JBST'A  resolution  was  also  adopted  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conference,  (1ST5),  making  it  obligatory 
upon  the  Conferences  to  make  provision  for 
defraying  the  expenses  of  commissioners  or 
messengers,  appointed  to  service  by  the  General 
Conference. 

SECTION  IV. — GENERAL  CONFERENCE  BOARDS. 

1.  The  General  Conference,  at  its  quadreu- 
nial  sessions,  shall  elect,  by  ballot,  the  Truste&s 
of  Adrian  College,  the  Board  of  Publication, 
the  Board  of  Missions,  the  Board  of  Ministe- 
rial Education,  the  Board  of  Church  Exten- 
sion, and  such  other  Boards  as  may  come  under 
its  control ,   which  Boards   shall   have  full 


72        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


authority  to  adopt  such  measures  as  may  be 
necessary  to  render  them  efficient  in  their  sev- 
eral departments. 

2.  It  shall  also  elect,  by  ballot,  one  or  more 
Editors  for  its  periodicals,  a  Publishing  Agent, 
and  the  Corresponding  Secretaries  for  the  Mis- 
sionary, Educational  and  Church  Extension 
Boards. 

3.  The  above-named  officers  shall  report  to, 
and  be  amenable  to,  their  respective  Boards, 
during  the  interim  of  the  meetings  of  the 
General  Conference,  according  to  the  Constitu- 
tion governing  each  Board,  respectively.  But 
they  shall  ultimately  be  amenable,  and  report 
to  the  General  Conference. 

4.  The  editor,  publishing  agent,  college 
agent,  and  the  corresponding  secretaries  of  the 
above-named  Boards  are,  and  they  are  hereby 
declared  to  be,  cx-officio,  honorary  members  of 
the  Annual  Conferences  which  they  may  officially 
visit,  so  far  as  the  general  interests  which  they 
represent  are  concerned. 

5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  editor,  pub- 
lishing agent,  general  agent  of  the  college  and 
the  corresponding  secretaries  of  the  above- 
named  Boards,  together  with  at  least  two  other 
members,  chosen  from  each  of  the  Boards 
elected  by  the  General  Conference,  to  meet 
annually,  in  the  month  of  July,  or  oftener,  if 
necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  mutual  counsel 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


and  co-operation,  in  carrying  forward  the  work 
confided  to  their  management.  The  President 
of  the  preceding  General  Conference  shall  also 
be  a  member,  ex-officio,  of  this  meeting,  and 
shall  preside  over  its  deliberations. 

6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  the  Boards  to 
report  to  this  Annual  Meeting  the  condition  of 
the  work  under  their  care.  This  meeting  shall 
also  publish  a  condensed  Annual  Report  of 
each  of  the  Boards  in  one  publication,  for  gen- 
eral distribution,  the  expenses  of  which  shall 
be  borne  mutually  by  the  several  Boards. 

7.  This  meeting  shall  also  arrange  for  the 
proper  representation  of  all  the  general  interests 
to  the  respective  Conferences,  at  their  annual 
meetings,  giving  all  necessary  information  in 
regard  to  the  work  of  each  Board,  respectively. 

8.  It  bhall  be  the  duty  of  the  respective 
Boards  to  see  that  the  several  agents  and  secre- 
taries perforin  their  official  duties  creditably, 
and  shall  have  power  to  remove  any  agent  or 
secretary,  for  incompetency  or  neglect  of  duty, 
and  fill  all  vacancies  created  during  the  interim 
of  the  General  Conference. 

SECTION  V. — BOARD  OF  MISSIONS. 

L  The  Board  of  Missions  shall  consist  of 
nine  members,  to  be  elected  by  the  General 
Conference,  three  of  whom  shall  be  designated 


74        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


as  an  Executive  Committee,  with  power  to  do 
business  for  and  in  the  name  of  the  Board, 
subject,  however,  to  revision  by  the  Board. 
The  corresponding  secretary  shall  be,  ex-officio, 
a  member  of  said  Board ;  provided,  also,  that 
no  Conference  shall  be  represented  by  more 
than  one  member  on  the  Board,  excepting  the 
Conference  where  the  Board  is  located,  which 
may  have  three  members. 

2.  The  Board  shall  be  located  at  Springfield, 
Ohio,  and  shall  meet  and  organize  as  soon  as 
practicable  after  their  election,  fix  the  amount 
of  missionary  money  to  be  raised  by  the  whole 
Church  the  ensuing  year,  apportioning  the 
same  among  the  several  Conferences,  according 
to  their  ability  to  pay. 

3.  The  several  Conferences,  at  their  first 
sessions  thereafter,  shall  apportion  the  same 
among  their  several  charges,  according  to  their 
ability  to  pay. 

4.  All  appropriations  made  by  the  Board, 
within  the  bounds  of  a  Conference,  shall  be 
made  to  the  Conference,  and  by  the  Confer- 
ence shall  be  apportioned  to  its  charges,  accord- 
ing to  their  necessities. 

5.  The  several  Conferences,  at  their  next 
session,  shall  create  a  Missionary  Board,  aux- 
iliary to  the  parent  Board,  with  a  correspond- 
ing secretary,  to  whom  each  pastor  shall  report, 
quarterly,  the  amount  of  missionary  money 


GOVERNMENT  OE  THE  CHURCH.  75 


raised  by  him.  And  the  secretary  of  the 
Auxiliary  Board  shall  make  a  condensed 
Quarterly  Report  to  the  secretary  of  the  parent 
society,  who  shall  also  furnish  an  official  report 
of  all  moneys  received  from  each  Conference, 
semi-annually. 

6.  Missionary  money  appropriated  to  Con- 
ferences shall  be  paid  quarterly  to  the  treasurer 
of  the  Auxiliary  Board,  and  by  him  paid  out, 
as  the  Conference  may  have  directed. 

7.  Each  Conference  shall,  in  all  cases,  ap- 
propriate missionary  money  to  its  charges,  and 
not  to  its  ministers* 

8.  The  several  Conferences  shall,  at  their 
next  sessions,  divide  their  territories  into  Dis- 
tricts, to  be  known  as  Missionary  Districts,  and 
each  District  shall  hold  one  or  more  Missionary 
Meetings  annually,  and  the  Annual  Conferences 
shall  hold  their  members  responsible  for  their 
attendance  at  these  meetings. 

9.  The  several  Conferences  shall  hold  their 
members  to  a  faithful  observance  of  these 
statutes,  and  hold  suspended  the  character  of 
each  pastor  who  fails  to  take  up  a  missionary 
collection,  by  subscription  or  otherwise,  at  each 
of  his  regular  appointments,  until  satisfactory 
reasons  are  rendered  therefor. 

10.  The  officers  of  the  Board  shall  consist 
of  a  President,  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  whose 
duties  shall  be  the  same  as  those  usually  per- 


76        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


formed  by  like  officers,  and  the  Board  shall 
meet  once  a  year,  or  oftener,  on  a  c  all  by  a 
majority  of  the  members  of  the  Board. 

11.  Should  a  vacancy  occur  in  the  Board  of 
Missions,  in  the  interval  of  General  Confer- 
ence, said  vacancy  may  be  filled  by  the  Board, 
without  respect  to  the  location  of  the  member. 

SECTION  VI. — BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

1 .  The  Board  of  Publication  shall  be  located 
at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  shall  consist  of  seven 
members,  to  be  elected  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence, five  of  them  to  be  chosen  within  the 
Pittsburgh  Conference  District,  and  not  more 
than  one  to  be  chosen  from  any  other  Confer- 
ence District. 

2.  The  officers  of  the  Board,  President, 
Vice  President,  Secretary,  Treasurer,  and 
Executive  Committee,  chosen  from  their  Dum- 
ber, shall  hold  their  respective  offices  for  one 
year,  or  until  their  successors  are  elected. 

3.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  Board  shall 
be  held  semi-annually,  at  such  time  and  place 
as  shall  be  designated  from  time  to  time. 

4.  The  Board  of  Publication  shall  have 
control  of  all  the  property  of  the  Book  Con- 
cern of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  shall  hold 
it  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church.  It 
shall  have  the  oversight  of  all  the  business  of 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCTI.  77 


the  Concern,  and  be  responsible  to  the  General 
Conference  of  the  Methodist  Church.  It  shall 
have  power  to  fill  all  vacancies  in  its  own  body, 
or  in  the  office  of  editor  or  publishing  agent, 
in  the  interval  of  General  Conference. 

5.  It  shall  see  that  the  editor  and  publish- 
ing agent  faithfully  carry  out  the  requirements 
of  the  General  Conference,  and  such  other 
measures  as  the  Board  may  see  fit  to  adopt, 
from  time  to  time.  It  shall  have  power,  in  the 
interval  of  General  Conference,  to  remove 
from  office  the  editor  or  publishing  agent,  for 
failure  to  perform  the  duties  assigned  him  by 
the  General  Conference,  or  the  Board,  for 
immorality,  incompetency,  or  other  sufficient 
cause;  provided,  that  such  removal  shall  not 
be  ordered  until  opportunity  for  defense  shall 
have  been  given.  The  Board  shall  have  power 
to  remove,  for  sufficient  cause,  any  of  its  own 
officers,  and  elect  others  in  their  stead. 

6.  The  Board  shall  fix  the  salary  of  the 
editor,  publishing  agent,  and  of  all  the 
employees  of  the  Board.  It  shall  see  that  all 
publications  ordered  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence, or  on  its  own  authority,  are  issued  as 
economically  as  is  compatible  with  the  proper 
execution  of  the  work;  and  shall  take  such 
measures  as  shall  secure  the  largest  possible 
sale  of  publications. 

7.  It  shall  see  that  all  accounts  are  properly 


78        GOVERNMENT  OP  THE  CHURCH. 

audited  and  settled,  and  that  all  the  business 
of  the  Concern  is  conducted  on  proper  busi- 
ness principles,  and  shall  cause  to  be  made  to 
the  General  Conference  a  report  of  the  business 
of  the  four  preceding  years,  together  with  an 
exact  statement  of  all  assets  and  liabilities,  at 
the  time  of  the  report. 

8.  All  letters  pertaining  to  the  publishing 
interests  must  be  directed  to  the  publishing 
agent,  who  shall  reply  as  directed  by  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  or  in  case  such  directions 
are  not  given,  he  shall  reply  as  in  his  judgment 
the  interests  of  the  cause  may  require. 

SECTION  VII. — BOARD  OF  MINISTERIAL  EDU- 
CATION. 

Located  at  Pittsburgh. 

CONSTITUTION  AS  FOLLOWS  : 

Article  I.  The  General  Conference  shall 
elect,  at  each  quadrennial  session,  a  Board  of 
six  members,  composed  of  three  ministers  and 
three  laymen,  and  a  corresponding  secretary, 
all  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  who 
shall  1  e  am  liable  to  the  General  Conference 
for  all  their  official  acts. 

Art.  II.  The  object  of  the  Board  shall  be 
to  assist  worthy  young  men  of  the  Methodist 
Church  in  preparing  for  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  79 

Art.  III.  The  Board  shall  be  known  and 
styled,  "  The  Board  of  Ministerial  Education 
of  the  Methodist  Church." 

Art.  IV.  The  Board  shall  be  invested  with 
the  following  powers : 

1.  To  obtain  a  charter  wherever  it  is  located, 
for  the  purposes  hereinafter  named. 

2.  To  meet  annually,  and  elect  a  President, 
Vice  President,  Recording  Secretary  and  Trea- 
mrer,  and  an  Executive  Committee  of  three 
members. 

3.  To  determine  the  amount  of  salary  to  be 
paid  the  corresponding  secretary,  to  suspend  or 
remove  him  from  office,  for  just  cause  ;  and  if 
from  any  cause  the  office  becomes  vacant,  to 
fill  it  until  the  succeeding  General  Conference. 

4.  To  meet  twenty  days  after  the  rise  of  the 
General  Conference,  and  organize  by  the  elec- 
tion of  officers. 

5.  To  enact  all  necessary  By-Laws  in  accord- 
ance with  this  Constitution,  defining  the  duties 
of  each  officer  of  the  Board  and  of  the  bene- 
ficiaries under  their  care. 

(5.  To  meet  quarterly  to  hear  the  reports  of 
corresponding  secretary  and  officers  of  the 
Hoard,  and  transact  all  necessary  business, 
including  the  amount  of  assistance  necessary  to 
be  appropriated  to  each  student  under  the  care 
of  the  Board. 

7.  To  make  full  and  complete  reports  to  each 


80        GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


General  Conference  of  the  assets  and  liabilities 
of  the  Board,  the  number  of  students  assisted, 
from  what  Conference,  and  the  amount  ren- 
dered each  student. 

8.  To  sacredly  hold  the  funds  committed  to 
its  care  for  the  above  purposes,  for  which  the 
Board  is  created.  There  shall  be  two  depart- 
ments, as  follows : 

(1.)  The  Permanent  Fund,  which  shall  be 
safely  invested  with  approved  securities.  The 
interest  accruing  from  this  fund  only  shall  be 
used  for  the  purposes  of  the  Board. 

(2.)  The  Distribution  Fund,  which  shall  be 
subject  to  the  order  of  the  Board  at  all  times, 
for  the  object  specified  in  Article  II.  of  the 
Constitution. 

9.  The  Board  shall  only  assist  such  persons 
as  come  to  it  properly  recommended  by  some 
Annual  Conference  or  its  Committee  of  Exam- 
ination. 

10.  The  Board  shall  require  the  money 
refunded  from  any  beneficiary  who  does  not 
enter  or  continue  in  the  ministry  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  unless  providentially  pre- 
vented. 

Art.  V.  The  corresponding  secretary  shall 
be,  ex-ojficio,  a  member  of  the  "  Board  of 
Ministerial  Education,"  and  shall  devote  him- 
self faithfully  to  promote  the  educational  inter- 
ests under  the  care  of  the  Board,  by  present- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  81 


ing  the  claims  of  the  cause  as  extensively  as 
possible  to  the  entire  denomination,  by  cor- 
respondence, visiting  Annual  Conferences, 
stations  and  circuits,  as  far  as  practicable. 

SECTION    VIII. — BOARD    OF   CHURCH  EXTEN- 
SION. 

1.  The  Board  of  Church  Extension  shall 
consist  of  nine  members,  including  a  correspond- 
ing secretary,  to  be  elected  by  the  General 
Conference. 

2.  The  Board  shall  be  located  at  Princeton, 
111.,  and  shall  be  governed  by  the  same  rules 
that  govern  the  Board  of  Missions  in  the  col- 
lection of  money. 

3.  All  appropriations  of  money  shall  be  in 
the  form  of  a  loan,  at  not  less  than  six  per 
cent,  per  annum,  for  the  erection  of  Church 
houses.  Provided,  that  the  Board  may  ulti- 
mately donate  the  amount  so  loaned. 

4.  All  loans  shall  be  made  to  the  trustees  ol 
the  property  on  which  the  money  is  loaned,  and 
first  mortgages  given  for  the  payment  thereof 
Provided,  also,  that  no  loan  shall  be  madt 
where  the  amount  loaned  does  not  liquidate  al 
prior  claim,  and  in  no  case  for  more  than  one 
third  the  cash  value  of  the  property  at  tlu 
time. 


PART  FIFTH. 


OFFICIAL,  DUTIES. 


SECTION    I. — ADDITIONAL    DUTIES    OP  THS 
PRESIDENT. 
(See  Constitution,  Article  VII.,  Section  2.) 

When  a  President  makes  an  exchange  of  a 
minister  or  preacher  from  one  circuit,  station 
or  mission  to  another,  it  shall  be  his  duty  to 
give  him  a  written  certificate  of  said  change, 
which  shall  he  his  passport  to  the  new  appoint- 
ment. He  shall  also  give  a  certificate  of  em- 
ployment to  ministers,  preachers  and  mission- 
aries, whom  he  may  employ  in  the  recess  of  the 
Conference,  without  which  no  minister,  preacher 
or  missionary  shall  he  recognized  as  regularly 
appointed. 

A  pastoral  charge  may  employ  or  release  the 
President  from  the  pastorate,  in  the  interim  of 
Conference. 

SECTION  II. — PASTORS. 

1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  pastors  to  preach 
the  Word,  administer  the  ordinances,  execute 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


83 


the  Discipline,  and  faithfully  discharge  all  the 
duties  belonging  to  the  ministerial  and  pastoral 
office  ;  to  read  and  explain  such  portions  of 
the  Constitution  and  Discipline,  as  they  may 
deem  necessary,  to  give  our  people  suitable 
information  in  regard  to  our  ecclesiastical 
economy. 

2.  To  visit  all  the  classes,  at  least  once  a 
quarter,  if  practicable,  and  see  that  they  are 
duly  and  properly  met  by  their  respective 
leaders,  and  that  the  members  regularly  attend 
their  classes ;  and  to  hold  an  election  within 
the  last  quarter  in  each  Conference  year,  for 
the  choice  of  a  leader  in  each  class  of  his  cir- 
cuit or  station  ;  but  should  any  class  refuse  or 
neglect  to  elect,  the  pastor  shall  then  appoint 
a  leader  for  said  class. 

3.  To  give  due  notice,  from  all  the  pulpits  in 
his  circuit  or  station,  of  the  time  and  place  of 
holding  the  ensuing  Quarterly  Conference. 

4.  To  hold  love  feasts,  general  class-meetings, 
and  appoint  prayer  meetings. 

5.  To  detain  the  society  occasionally,  after 
preaching,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  such 
advice  and  exhortation  as  may  be  requisite. 

G.  To  organize,  as  far  as  practicable,  Sabbath 
schools  at  each  appointment  within  his  charge, 
and  report  to  the  ensuing  Annual  Conference, 
in  full,  the  statistics  of  his  charge,  as  required 
by  the  Discipline. 


84 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


7.  To  keep  an  exact  record  of  all  the  mem- 
bers belonging  to  his  station,  circuit,  or  mission, 
and  of  the  baptisms ;  and  report  the  latter, 
with  the  names  of  all  members  in  full  member- 
ship, to  the  Quarterly  Conference,  and  the 
numbers  in  society  in  his  charge,  to  the  Annual 
Conference. 

8.  To  present  to  the  people  of  his  charge 
the  interests  of  the  Board  of  Ministerial  Edu- 
cation, and  take  up  subscriptions  for  the  same, 
at  the  most  suitable  time  in  each  year,  in  all 
his  congregations ;  also,  yearly  subscriptions 
for  the  Board  of  Missions,  forwarding  the  same 
to  the  treasurer  of  said  Board,  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable ;  also,  collections  for  the  college,  and 
such  other  general  interests  as  the  General 
Conference  may  authorize.  And  he  shall  be 
held  responsible  for  the  same,  in  the  examina- 
tion of  his  character.  Should  any  pastor 
neglect  to  take  such  collections,  he  shall  be 
subject  to  reprimand,  and  for  a  second  neglect, 
he  shall  be  left  without  an  appointment  by  the 
Conference  of  which  he  is  a  member. 

9.  To  report  quarterly,  when  practicable,  to 
the  President,  the  state  of  his  circuit  or  station  ; 
and  at  the  close  of  the  year;  to  leave  his  suc- 
cessor a  plan  of  his  charge. 

10.  To  give  certificates  to  those  who  desire 
to  remove  to  another  station,  circuit  or  society. 
But  no  certificate  shall  be  valid  longer  than  six 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


85 


months  after  date,  except  unavoidable  circum- 
stances shall  have  put  it  out  of  the  power  of 
the  holder  to  join  within  the  above-named 
period.  All  miuisters,  preachers  and  members 
holding  certificates,  shall  be  responsible  to  the 
authority  whence  the  certificate  was  taken, 
until  it  shall  have  been  deposited  elsewhere. 

No  pastor  shall  withhold  a  certificate  or 
testimonial  from  persons  whose  moral  character 
stands  fair.  A  suitable  testimonial  shall  not  be 
withheld  from  those  who  propose  to  withdraw 
from  the  fellowship  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

SECTION  III. — ASSOCIATE  PASTORS. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  associate  pastor 
to  preach  statedly  in  all  the  appointments,  and 
to  aid  the  pastor  in  the  general  work  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  charge  to  which  he  has  been 
appointed. 

SECTION  IV. — SUPERNUMERARY  MINISTERS. 

A  supernumerary  minister  is  one  who  has 
been  granted  a  supernumerary  relation,  by  a 
vote  of  the  Annual  Conference,  in  view  of  his 
inability  to  devote  himself  entirely  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  but  who  is  able  and 
willing  to  render  a  certain  amount  of  ministe- 
rial labor  in  the  vicinity  where  he  may  reside. 

He  shall,  on  being  granted   this  relation, 


86 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


report  himself  to  the  nearest  Quarterly  Con- 
ference, where  he  shall  be  entitled  to  a  seat,  but 
he  shall  be  ultimately  responsible  to  the  Annual 
Conference.  He  shall  preach  statedly  in  all 
the  appointments  officially  assigned  him,  and 
aid  the  pastor  in  his  official  duties,  so  far  as 
his  other  engagements  will  permit.  He  shall 
attend  the  sessions  of  the  Annual  Conference ; 
or  if  unable  to  attend,  he  shall  inform  the 
Conference,  by  letter,  of  said  inability,  aud  the 
cause  or  causes  thereof. 

SECTION    V. — UNSTATIONED  MINISTERS. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  unstationed  min- 
ister or  preacher,  to  preach  in  all  the  appoint- 
ments officially  assigned  to  him,  and  to  render 
all  the  ministerial  assistance  in  his  circuit  or 
station  he  can,  consistently  with  his  other 
duties;  provided,  always,  that  at  the  time  of 
making  nut  a  plan,  every  unstationed  minister 
and  preacher  shall  have  the  privilege  of  stating 
explicitly  the  amount  of  service  he  can  con- 
sistently perform. 

SECTION  VI. — DUTIES  OF  CLASS  LEADERS. 

(See  Co?istitution,  Article  VIII.) 
It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  class  leader : 
1.  To  meet  his  class  once  a  week,  in  order 
to  instruct  the  members  iu  the  principles  and 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


87 


duties  of  Christianity ;  to  comfort  them  in 
affliction  ;  to  advise  them  in  cases  of  difficulty; 
and  to  exhort  them  to  diligence  in  doing  and 
suffering  the  whole  will  of  God.  And  it  shall 
also  be  the  duty  of  each  member  of  the  class 
to  meet  him  at  the  stated  time  and  place 
appointed  for  holding  the  class  meetings. 

2.  To  receive  what  they  are  willing  to  give 
towards  the  support  of  the  ministry,  and  the 
poor,  when  not  otherwise  provided  for,  and 
urge  upon  the  members  of  his  class  liberality 
in  their  contributions,  and  punctuality  in  pay- 
ment ;  and  to  hand  over  the  records  of  his 
class  to  his  successor. 

Each  leader  shall  have  the  names  of  all 
members  entered  in  a  book  or  paper  kept  by 
him  for  the  purpose,  in  which  he  shall  note, 
weekly,  the  presence  or  absence  of  each  member, 
and  give  each  oue  credit  on  the  book  or  paper 
for  the  amount  contributed. 

3.  It  shall  also  be  the  duty  of  each  leader 
to  attend  the  Leaders'  Meeting,  (if  one  be 
held,)  to  represent  the  state  of  iris  class ;  to 
pay  over  to  the  stewards  what  he  has  received  ; 
and  to  inform  the  pastor  of  any  that  are  sick, 
or  need  a  pastoral  visit. 

4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  leader  to 
visit  the  sick,  and  those  members  who  frequent- 
ly absent  themselves  from  vthe  means  of  e:race  ; 


88 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


and  to  promote  the  spiritual,  temporal  and  eter- 
nal interests  of  those  committed  to  his  care. 

5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  leader  to 
report  to  the  pastor  all  cases  of  neglect  of  duty 
or  improper  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  mem- 
bers of  his  class,  which,  in  his  opinion,  require 
the  exercise  of  discipline. 

Class  leaders  should  occasionally  meet  each 
other's  classes,  and  also  vary  the  exercises  in 
those  meetings,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
them  interesting,  lively  and  spiritual. 

It  is  recommended,  whenever  practicable, 
that  no  class  exceed  thirty  in  number,  and 
that  no  class-meeting  continue  longer  than  one 
hour. 

SECTION      VII. — DUTIES      OF  CONFERENCE 
STEWARDS. 

(See  Constitution,  Article  VIII.) 

1.  We  recommend  that  it  be  the  duty  of 
each  Conference  steward  to  receive  the  money 
for  making  up  deficiencies  in  support  of  effici- 
ent and  superannuated  ministers  and  preachers, 
their  widows  and  children. 

2.  To  pay  out  of  the  funds  received,  to  the 
preachers,  the  sums  contributed  to  make  up 
their  deficiencies,  as  contemplated  by  those 
individuals  or  societies  whose  liberality  shall 
have  prompted  them  to  aid  in  this  work. 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES.  89 

The  funds  held  by  the  steward  shall  be 
equally  divided  among  all  the  claimants,  except 
where  individuals  or  societies  direct  a  specific 
appropriation  of  any  part  of  their  contributions. 
But  no  one  shall  receive  more  than  is  judged 
necessary  for  his  support. 

In  settling  with  the  preachers,  the  Confer- 
ence steward  shall  account  with  them  for  all 
books  and  newspapers  received  by  them  on 
account  of  the  book  agent  and  editor.  He 
shall  pay  no  preacher's  traveling  expenses  to  or 
from  Conference;  these  must  be  met  by  the 
preachers  themselves,  and  be  refunded  to  them 
by  the  stewards  of  the  stations,  circuits  or 
missions  to  which  they  may  be  appointed  for 
(he  ensuing  year. 

The  traveling  expenses  of  the  delegates 
ought  to  be  met  by  their  respective  circuits  and 
stations  which  send  them  up  to  Conference,  if 
they  demand  reimbursement. 

3.  To  make  out  an  accurate  exhibit,  at 
Conference,  showing : 

1st.  What  each  preacher  has  received  from 
his  circuit  or  station  during  the  past  year. 

2d.  The  amount  paid  to  each  out  of  the 
funds  received  for  the  support  of  the  preachers. 

3d.  The  amount  forwarded  to  Conference 
from  each  circuit,  station  and  mission,  as  Con- 
ference collection,  and  the  respective  sums  for- 
warded by  individuals  or  societies. 


90 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


Each  Annual  Conference  shall  defray  the 
expenses  of  its  representatives  to  the  General 
Conference. 

SECTION  VIII. — DUTIES  OF  CIRCUIT  AND  STA- 
TION STEWARDS. 

{See  Constitution,  Article  VIII.) 

1.  In  circuits,  missions  and  stations,  the 
stewards  shall  be  elected  in  the  last  quarter  of 
the  Conference  year,  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  Constitution. 

2.  As  soon  as  possible  after  the  rise  of  the 
Annual  Conference,  the  stewards  shall  hold  a 
financial  meeting,  to  ascertain  the  pastor's 
salary,  moving  expenses,  and  house  rent,  if 
any,  and  the  President's  salary,  if  there  be 
any,  and  apportion  the  same  to  the  several 
classes,  according  to  their  ability  to  pay. 

3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  stewards  to 
report  to  their  respective  classes  the  amount  of 
their  apportionment,  at  the  first  meeting  of  the 
class,  after  the  apportionment  has  been  made. 

4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  class  to  ap- 
point a  committee  of  three,  to  apportion  the 
amount  laid  on  the  class  to  the  several  mem- 
bers of  the  same,  according  to  their  ability  to 
pay,  which  shall  report  its  action  to  the  next 
meeting  of  the  class,  for  its  adoption.  Pro- 
vided, that  in  stations  where  there  is  more 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


91 


than  one  class,  the  Financial  Committee  shall 
be  elected  by  a  meeting  of  the  whole  Church. 

5.  The  stewards  shall  collect  the  above 
apportionment  promptly,  in  quarterly  install- 
ments, and  pay  the  same  to  the  pastor  quar- 
terly, or  oftener,  if  necessary,  and  the  Presi- 
dent's salary  at  the  time  of  his  official  visit. 
Provided,  that  in  stations,  the  apportionment 
may  be  raised  weekly,  upon  the  envelope  plan. 

6.  The  steward  shall  keep  a  financial  regis- 
ter, (to  be  obtained  at  our  Book  Room,)  in 
which  he  shall  enter  all  the  names  of  the  mem- 
bers and  supporters  of  the  Church,  and  in 
which  he  shall  keep  an  exact  record  of  all 
moneys  raised  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel, 
benevolent  purposes,  and  the  general  and  local 
interests  of  the  Church. 

7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  see 
that  this  financial  plan  is  fully  carried  out. 

8.  The  stewards  are  to  make  the  necessary 
provisions  and  preparation  for  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, and  love  feast ;  to  receive  the  collections 
made  on  those  occasions,  and  all  other  moneys 
contributed  for  the  relief  of  the  po«>r,  and  to 
distribute  those  funds  as  occasion  may  require, 
according  to  their  best  judgment,  having  special 
regard  to  those  poor  members  who  are  the 
most  necessitous  and  deserving.  The  stewards 
shall  make  a  quarterly  return  to  the  society,  or 
Quarterly  Conference,  of  their  collections  and 


92 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


contributions  for  the  poor,  and  the  state  of 
those  funds. 

9.  To  use  all  proper  means  to  induce  the 
members,  and  those  who  sit  regularly  under 
our  ministry,  to  be  liberal  in  their  contribu- 
tions. The  stewards  shall  keep  a  separate 
book  for  the  purpose  of  entering  the  weekly, 
monthly,  or  quarterly  donations  made  by  those 
who  are  not  members  of  the  Church. 

10.  To  see  that  a  Conference  collection  be 
taken  up,  some  time  iu  the  last  quarter,  pre- 
vious to  the  sitting  of  the  Annual  Conference, 
both  in  the  classes  and  in  the  congregations. 
The  whole  collection,  when  made,  shall  be  for- 
warded by  the  stewards  to  the  Conference 
steward. 

SECTION  IX. — CHURCH  PROPERTY. 

The  laws  of  the  several  States  are  so  various 
that  no  specific  rule  can  be  given  which  will 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  diversified  statutes 
under  which  Churches  have  to  organize.  The 
following  general  rules,  if  attended  to,  will 
secure  the  end  desired. 

1.  Before  taking  a  deed,  examine  the  laws 
of  the  State,  and  see  that  the  Church  or  society 
is  organized,  and  trustees  appointed,  according 
to  the  requirements  of  the  statute. 

2.  Let  the  property  be  deeded  to  trustees,  in 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES.  93 

trust  for  that  particular  Church  or  society, 
giving  its  corporate  name  in  the  deed.  If  it 
be  deemed  necessary,  good  moral  men  from 
without  may  be  elected  trustees.  But  a 
majority  of  the  Board  shall,  in  all  cases,  be 
members  of  our  Church. 

3.  In  case  any  Church  or  society  shall  have 
become  extinct,  by  deaths,  removals,  or  other- 
wise, then  the  Church  property,  if  any,  shall 
vest  in  the  Quarterly  Conference  of  the  circuit, 
station,  or  mission,  within  whose  jurisdiction 
such  property  is  located.  Should  there  be  no 
Quarterly  Conference,  the  right  to  the  control 
of  said  property  shall  vest  in  the  Annual  Con- 
ference within  whose  bounds  it  is  located. 
Said  property  to  be  disposed  of  by  an  agent, 
appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  Quarterly  or 
Annual  Conference,  as  the  one  or  the  other 
may  have  the  right,  as  above,  to  control  said 
property.  When  sales  are  made  by  the  agents 
thus  appointed,  the  proceeds  thereof  shall  be 
used  only  for  the  purpose  of  liquidating  such 
claims  as  may  have  accrued  in  the  purchase, 
erection,  repairs,  or  furnishing  of  the  houses 
of  worship,  or  parsonages  thus  sold,  or  in  the 
purchase,  erection,  repairs,  or  furnishing  of 
other  houses  of  worship,  or  parsonages,  for 
the  use  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

4.  No  house  of  worship,  parsonage,  or  other 
property  of  the  Church,  shall  be  subject  to 


94 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


sale  for  any  debt  of  any  society  or  circuit, 
other  than  such  debts  as  are  specified  in  the 
above  item,  nor  shall  any  donation  or  subscrip- 
tion be  diverted  from  the  purpose  for  which 
said  donation  or  subscription  was  made. 


SECTION  X. — GENERAL  DUTIES  OF  TRUSTEES. 

1.  Trustees  shall  be  elected,  annually,  by  the 
members  of  the  Church  or  society,  according 
to  the  statutes  of  the  State.  It  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  trustees  to  hold  the  property  of  the 
individual  Church  in  trust,  for  the  use  and 
benefit  thereof;  and  to  fill  all  vacancies  occa- 
sioned in  their  Board  by  death,  resignation,  or 
otherwise. 

2.  It  shall  be  their  duty  to  hold  periodical 
meetings,  and  keep  a  fair  and  regular  record  of 
the  transactions  of  their  Board,  in  a  book 
provided  for  the  purpose,  which  shall,  at  all 
times,  be  open  for  the  inspection  of  members 
of  the  Church. 

3.  To  take  care  of  the  Church  property, 
furniture  and  premises,  burial  grounds,  etc. 

4.  The  trustees  shall  have  power,  when  au- 
thorized by  a  majority  of  the  members  over 
tlx-  age  of  twenty-one  years,  assembled  at  a 
regular  meeting  for  the  purpose,  to  purchase, 
build,  repair,  lease,  sell,  rent,  mortgage,  or 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


05 


otherwise  procure  or  dispose  of  property,  and 
on  no  other  condition  or  conditions  whatever. 

5.  All  moneys  on  behalf  of  houses  of  wor- 
ship, for  building  or  repairing  of  such,  or  for 
current  expenses  consequent  upon  public  ser- 
vices, shall  be  controlled  by  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees of  such  houses,  subject  to  the  direction  of 
the  members  worshiping  therein. 

SECTION   XI.  PUBLIC  WORSHIP. 

To  establish  uniformity  among  the  Churches, 
in  public  worship  on  the  Lord's  Day,  it  is  re- 
commended that  the  following  order  be  ob- 
served : 

Let  the  morning  service  consist  of :  1.  Sing- 
ing ;  2.  Prayer, closing  with  the  Lord's  prayer; 
3.  Reading  the  Scriptures ;  4.  Singing ;  5. 
Preaching ;  6.  Prayer  ;  7.  Singing ;  8.  Bene- 
diction. 

Let  the  afternoon  or  evening  services  be  the 
same,  with  the  exception .  that  the  reading  of 
the  Scriptures  may  be  omitted.  Or  a  social 
meeting  may  be  held,  if  preferred. 

It  is  believed  that  kneeling  is  the  most  be- 
coming attitude  in  the  time  of  prayer. 

It  is  recommended  that  notices  be  given 
immediately  before  the  preaching. 

SECTION  XII. — MEANS  OP  GRACE. 

1.  The  means  of  grace  recognized  by  the 
Methodist    Church    are:     Public  worship; 


96 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


Searching  the  Scriptures  ;  The  Lord's  Supper; 
Love  Feasts ;  Class  Meetings ;  Private  and 
Family  Prayer. 

2.  Members  of  the  Church  who  neglect  these 
means  should  be  first  labored  with  by  the 
leader  and  pastor,  and  if  they  do  not  reform, 
they  should  be  dealt  with  according  to  the 
fifth  Elementary  Principle  and  the  Judiciary 
Rules. 

SECTION  XIII. — ADVICE  TO   MINISTERS  AND 
PREACHERS. 

Keep  your  own  soul  alive  to  God  by  medita- 
tion, prayer  and  searching  the  Scriptures  daily. 
Read  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  regularly 
through,  if  practicable,  once  every  year ;  and 
avail  yourself  of  all  the  helps  within  your 
reach,  to  obtain  a  correct  understanding  of  the 
word  of  life.  "  Study  to  show  thyself  ap- 
proved unto  God,  a  workman  that  needeth  not 
to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth." 

Neither  be  unemployed,  nor  engaged  about 
trifles.  Do  everything  at  the  time  appointed, 
and  complete  everything  you  commence. 
Never  disappoint  a  congregation,  nor  spend 
more  time  in  a  place  than  is  strictly  necessary. 
Labor  constantly  to  feel  the  high  responsibili- 
ties of  your  office  and  ministry  ;  take  heed 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


97 


that  the  hlood  of  souls  be  not  found  on  your 
skirts. 

Be  an  example  of  the  believers,  in  word,  in 
conversation,  in  charity,  in  spirit,  in  faith,  in 
purity;  and  avoid  all  affectation,  effeminacy,  ii 
and  everything  like  austerity.  Be  affable  and 
courteous  in  your  manners  ;  and  let  your  whole 
deportment  be  mild  and  inoffensive.  "  Learn 
of  me,"  said  the  blessed  Jesus,  "fori  am  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart." 

In  your  dress,  keep  clear  of  the  two  ex- 
tremes, antiquated  singularity  on  fhe  one  hand, 
and  fashionable  foppishness  on  the  other. 
Abstain  from  the  use  of  tobacco  in  all  its 
forms  ;  and  use  no  spirituous  liquors. 

Remember,  it  is  your  Imperious  duty,  not  to 
preach  yourself,  but  Christ  crucified,  the  great 
sacrifice  for  sin,  and  the  only  Saviour  of  the 
world.  We  "  charge  thee,  therefore,  before 
God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall 
judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  at  his  appearing, 
preach  the  word  ;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of 
season  ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  long- 
suffering  and  doctrine." 

SECTION  XIV. — CONSTITUTION  FOR  SABBATH 
SCHOOLS. 

Article  I. 

This  organization  shall  be  known  as  the 

Sabbath  School  of  the   Church. 

4 


98 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


Article  II. 

Sec.  1 .  Its  officers  shall  be  :  a  Superintend- 
ent, an  Assistant  Superintendent,  a  Secretary, 
a  Treasurer,  and  a  Librarian,  all  of  whom  shall 

be  elected  by  ballot,  on  the  day  of  

in  each  year,  by  a  vote  of  the  Church,  and 
the  teachers  and  officers  of  the  school. 

Sec.  2.  The  officers  so  elected,  together  with 
the  teachers  and  the  pastor  in  charge  (ex-officio) 
shall  constitute  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
school ;  the  pastor,  or,  in  his  absence,  the 
superintendent  to  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the 
Board. 

Article  III. 

The  school  shall  be  opened  every  Lord's  Day, 

at           o'clock,  and  each  session  shall  continue 

one  hour  and  minutes. 

Article  IV. 

The  anniversary  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the 

 in  the  month  of   at  which  time  full 

statistical  reports  from  the  officers  of  the 
school  shall  be  read,  and  addresses  made  by 
the  pastor,  superintendent,  or  such  persons  as 
they  may  select  for  that  purpose. 

Article  V. 

Quarterly  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers for  the  transaction  of  business  shall  be 


OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 


99 


held  on  the  in  the  months  of  

 and  ,  at  which  time  teachers  shall 

be  elected. 

Article  VI. 

Teachers'  meetings  for  mutual  assistance  and 
counsel,  and  for  the  study  of  the  lesson  shall 
be  held  on  the  . 

Article  VII. 

Strict  order  shall  be  observed,  and  all  rules 
conformed  to  by  every  one  connected  with  the 
school. 

Article  VIII. 

All  business  and  financial  matters  of  the 
school  shall  be  under  the  management  of  the 
officers  elected  by  ballot  and  the  pastor;  and 
all  methods  for  raising  and  disbursing  revenue 
shall  be  subject  to  their  direction  and  the  con- 
currence of  the  Leader's  Meeting  and  Quar- 
terly Conference. 

Article  IX. 

This  constitution  may  be  amended  at  any 
annual  meeting,  and  by-laws  be  made  or 
amended  at  any  quarterly  meeting,  by  a 
majority  of  all  the  members  present. 


PART  SIXTH. 


Ritualistic  Services. 


SECTION  I.  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Order  for  the  Administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  the  celebration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  an  appropriate  discourse 
shall  be  delivered;  after  which  a  collection 
shall  be  taken  up  for  the  relief  of  the  poor. 

While  the  stewards  are  making  the  collection, 
let  the  minister  repeat  one  or  more  of  the  fol- 
lowing passages : 

Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.    Matt.  v. :  16. 

He  that  soweth  sparingly,  shall  also  reap 
sparingly ;  and  he  that  soweth  bountifully, 
shall  also  reap  bountifully.  Let  every  man  do 
according  as  he  is  disposed  in  his  heart ;  not 
grudgingly,  or  of  necessity  ;  for  God  loveth  a 
cheerful  giver.    2  Cor.  ix. :  6,  7. 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  101 


Charge  those  who  are  rich  in  this  world,  that 
they  b?  ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  commu- 
nicate ;  .laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a 
good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that 
they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  1  Tim.  vi.  : 
17-19. 

Whoso  hath  this  world's  goods,  and  seeth 
his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his 
bowjls  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him  ?    1  John,  iii. :  17. 

Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor ;  the 
Lo.d  will  deliver  him  in  the  time  of  trouble. 
Psalm,  xli. :  1. 

As  we  have,  therefore,  opportunity,  let  us 
d)  good  unto  all  men,  and  especially  unto 
them  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith.  Gal. 
vi. :  10. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  communion  ser- 
vice, the  officiating  minister  or  ministers  shall 
repair  to  the  table,  uncover  the  elements,  and 
address  the  communicants  in  the  following 
words : 

Dearly  beloved,  while  we  were  yet  sinners 
Christ  died  for  us,  and  became  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world.  In  the  same  night 
he  was  betrayed  he  did  institute  this  ordinance, 
and  commanded  his  followers  to  continue  the 
same  in  commemoration  of  his  death,  until  he 


102 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


come  again.  You,  therefore,  who  are  striving 
to  walk  in  all  of  his  commandments  blameless, 
will  now  accompany  us  in  a  petition  to  tlio 
throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  worthily  com- 
memorate the  death  and  passion  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Let  ns  pray. 

Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  who  of 
thy  tender  mercy  didst  give  thine  only  Sou 
Jesus  Christ  to  suffer  death  upon  the  cross  for 
our  redemption  ;  who  there,  by  the  oblation  of 
himself,  once  offered,  did  make  an  atonement 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  did  insti- 
tute this  ordinance,  and  in  his  holy  Gospel 
command  us  to  continue  a  perpetual  memory 
of  his  precious  death,  until  his  coming  again  ; 
we  pray  thee  to  grant  us  grace,  that  while  wo 
partake  of  these  symbols  of  the  broken  body 
and  shed  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
remembrance  of  his  death  and  passion,  we  may, 
by  faith  in  him,  receive  the  remission  of  oui 
sins  and  the  salvation  of  our  souls. 

We  are  not  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  gather  ur 
the  crumbs  from  under  thy  tahle,  for  we  have 
sinned  and  come  short  of  thy  glory  ;  we  have 
erred  and  strayed  from  thy  ways  like  lost  sheep  ; 
we  have  left  undone  those  things  which  we 
ought  to  have  done;  and  we  have  done  those 
things  which  we  ought  not  to  have  done.  Have 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  103 


mercy  on  us,  0  God,  our  Heavenly  Father, 
forgive  our  sins,  and  restore  unto  us  the  joy  of 
thy  salvation,  through  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
redeemed  us  by  his  own  precious  blood. 

Almighty  and  most  merciful  God,  we  do  not 
presume  to  approach  this,  thy  table,  trusting 
in  our  own  righteousness,  but  in  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who, 
in  the  same  night  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread, 
and  when  he  had  given  thanks  he  brake  it,  and 
gave  to  his  disciples,  saying :  Take,  eat ;  this  is 
my  body  which  was  broken  for  you  ;  this  do 
in  remembrance  of  me.  After  the  same  man- 
ner he  took  the  cup,  and  when  he  had  supped, 
said:  This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my 
blood,  drink  ye  all  of  it.  This  do  ye,  as  oft  as 
you  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me. 

Grant  unto  us,  0  our  Heavenly  Father,  the 
effectual  assistance  of  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that 
while  we  partake  of  these  thy  creatures  of 
bread  and  wine,  according  to  thy  Son  our 
Saviour's  holy  institution,  in  grateful  remem- 
brance of  his  death  and  passion,  that  our  hearts 
may  be  penetrated  with  unfeigned  love  and 
gratitude  for  the  unspeakable  gift  of  thy  Son, 
in  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  our  souls. 
May  we  be  melted  into  tenderness  on  account 
of  the  great  love  wherewith  Christ  hath  loved 
us,  and  given  himself  for  us.  May  we  ever 
remember  his  agony  and  bloody  sweat  in  the 


104 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


garden  of  Gethsemane;  his  cruel  mockings 
and  scourgings  in  Pilate's  hall ;  and  his  igno- 
minious death  on  the  cross.  Surely  he  hath 
borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows ;  he 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities,  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  by  his  stripes  we 
are  healed.  May  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood,  which  was  shed  for  the  remission  of 
our  sins,  and,  being  justified  by  faith  in  him,  may 
be  filled  with  love,  have  grace  to  keep  all  thy 
commandments,  and  show  forth  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come.  And,  finally,  be  brought, 
with  all  the  Israel  of  God,  to  inherit  eternal 
life,  through  the  merits  and  mediation  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

Tlie  officiating  minister  or  ministers  may 
then  give  the  following  invitation  ; 

Ye  that  do  truly  and  earnestly  repent  of 
your  sins,  and  are  in  love  and  charity  with 
your  neighbors,  and  intend  to  lead  a  new  lite, 
following  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
walking  from  henceforth  in  his  holy  ways, 
draw  near  in  faith,  and  partake  of  this  ordi- 
nance to  your  comfort. 

The  ministers  shall  then  distribute  the  bread 
to  the  communicants,  saying : 
■  Take,  eat  this  in  remembrance  that  Christ's 
body  was  broken  for  you;  for  while  we  were 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  105 


yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us,  and  became  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only, 
but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 

While  the  ministers  are  passing  the  bread 
around,  they  may  repeat  one  or  more  of  the 
following  passages  : 

God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 

God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  con- 
demn the  world,  but  that  the  world  through 
him  might  be  saved. 

Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God.  but 
that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins.  If  God  so  loved  us 
we  ought  also  to  love  one  another. 

Christ  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  himself 
for  it.  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commaud- 
nicnts. 

Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven. 

Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

The  ministers  shall  likeicise  take  of  the 
Ki'ne,  and  gi>  e  to  each  communicant,  saying  : 

Drink  ye  all  of  this,  in  grateful  remembrance 
that  the  blood  of  Christ  was  shed  for  you  ;  for 


106  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things, 
but  with  tliG  precious  blood  of  Christ;  in 
whom  we  have  redemption,  through  faith,  even 
the  forgiveness  of  our  sins,  and  the  sanctifica- 
tion  of  our  souls. 

While  passing  the  wine  around,  the  minis- 
ters may  repeat  one  or  more  of  the  following 
2>assages  : 

If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from 
all  unrighteousness. 

If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light, 
we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  cleanseth  us 
from  all  unrighteousness. 

Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father,  be 
glory  and  dominion  forever.  Amen. 

When  all  have  partaken,  what  remains  q/ 
the  elements  shall  be  placed  upon  the  fable, 
and  covered  with  a,  fair  linen  cloth;  and  the 
service  shall  be  concluded  with  extempore 
prayer,  and  the  apostolical  benediction. 

The  Lord's  Supper  should  be  administered 
at  least  once  a  month  in  stations,  and  so  often 
in  circuits,  as  to  give  an  opportunity  to  all  the 
members  of  partaking  once  a  quarter. 

On  these  solemn  occasions  let  there  be  no 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


101 


hurry,  no  confusion.  Let  meditation,  prayer, 
and  gratitude  to  God  for  the  unspeakable  gift 
of  his  Son,  occupy  every  soul. 

While  administering  the  Supper,  one  of  the 
ministers  should  occasionally  give  out  an  ap- 
propriate verse  or  two  of  a  hymn,  to  be  sung 
by  the  congregation.  This  might  be  so  timed 
as  to  serve  for  a  signal  for  those  who  have 
communed,  to  rise  and  retire  to  their  places  in 
the  church,  and  give  opportunity  •fer  the 
remaining  communicants  to  repair  to  the  table. 

Let  those  who  have  scruples  concerning  the 
receiving  the  Lord's  Suj)per  kneeling,  be  y>er- 
mitted  to  receive  it  either  sitting  or  standing. 

BAPTISM. 
SECTION  II. — BAPTISM  OP  INFANTS. 

When  the  child  to  be  baptized  is  brought  be- 
fore the  minister,  he  shall  say  to  the  parents : 

Beloved  friends,  you  are  about  to  dedicate 
your  beloved  child  to  the  service  of  the  living 
and  true  God,  who  hath  said  :  "  Behold,  all 
souls  are  mine,  as  the  soul  of  the  father  is  mine, 
so  also  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine;"  and  the 
promise  of  acceptance  and  salvation  is  to  you 
and  your  children  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off. 
By  this  act  you  acknowledge  the  high  claim  of 
Almighty  God  to  the  life  and  services  of  your 
offspring;  and  your  own  obligations  to  the 


108  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


Most  High,  to  your  infant,  and  to  the  Church 
of  Christ,  to  guide  its  feet  into  the  paths  of 
righteousness,  and  to  raise  it  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

You  will  need  all  the  wisdom  and  grace  you 
can  acquire,  to  enable  you  to  discharge  this 
your  imperative  duty  ;  we  therefore  exhort  you 
to  pray  to  God  constantly,  so  to  enlighten  your 
minds  and  influence  your  hearts,  that  you  may, 
both  by  precept  and  example,  be  enabled  to 
lead  your  children  in  the  true  and  right  way, 
and  induce  them  to  glorify  God,  in  their  souls 
and  bodies,  which  is  their  reasonable  service. 

Let  us  pray. 

Almighty  and  most  merciful  God,  Father  of 
our  spirits,  Former  of  our  bodies,  Redeemer 
and  Saviour  of  our  souls,  we  thank  thee  that 
thou  hast  made  it  our  privilege  to  dedicate 
our  children  to  thy  service,  that  they  may  be 
lively  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and 
heirs  of  eternal  life. 

We  beseech  thee,  0  our  Heavenly  Father, 
to  bestow  upon  the  parents  of  this  child,  grace 
whereby  they  may  serve  thee  acceptably,  with 
reverence  and  godly  fear,  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness all  the  days  of  their  lives  ;  that  by 
precept  and  example  they  may  train  their  child 
in  all  godly  discipline  and  admonition,  that  it 
may  be  a  worthy  member  of  the  Church  of 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  109 


Christ.  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  this  child  may 
die  unto  sin.  and  live  unto  righteousness,  and 
being  steadfast  in  faith,  joyful  through  hope, 
and  rooted  in  love,  may  safety  pass  the  waves 
of  this  transitory  life,  and  finally  come  to  the 
haven  of  eternal  repose,  there  to  dwell  with 
thee,  world  without  end,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord. 

Almighty  God,  grant  that  whosoever  is 
dedicated  to  thee,  by  our  office  and  ministry, 
may  be  indued  with  heavenly  virtues,  and  ever 
remain  in  the  number  of  thy  faithful  children, 
and  be  made  a  partaker  of  eternal  life,  through 
thy  mercy,  0  Blessed  Lord  God,  who  dost 
live  and  govern  all  things,  world. without  end. 
Amen. 

The  people  shall  then  stand  vp,  and  the  min- 
ister shall  say  : 

They  brought  young  children  to  Christ,  that 
he  should  touch  them,  and  his  disciples  rebuked 
those  who  brought  them  ,  but  when  Jesus  saw 
it,  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said,  Suffer  the 
little  children  to  come  unto  me.  and  forbid 
them  not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  shall  not 
receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child, 
shall  not  enter  therein. 

And  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms,  put  hid 
bauds  upon  them  and  blessed  them. 


110  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


The  minister  shall  then  take  the  child  in  his 
arms,  and  say  to  the  parents  of  the  child : 
Name  this  child. 

Repeating  the  name  as  given  by  the  parents, 
he  shall  say,  when  baptizing: 

N.  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Hon,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
Lord  bless  this  child  and  grant  him  eternal  life. 

The  minister  shall  then  conclude  with  the 
apostolical  benediction. 

Infant  baptism  should  be  administered 
monthly  in  all  our  Churches,  and  oftener  when 
necessary. 

£n  infant  baptism  let  it  be  an  invariable  rule 
to  require  the  attendance  of  the  parents  of  the 
child. 

Let  every  adult  person,  arid  the  parents  of 
every  child  to  be  baptized,  have  the  choice  of 
immersion,  sprinkling,  or  pouring. 

Parents  whose  children  have  been  baptized, 
should  attend  after  service,  and  inform  the 
minister  of  the  age,  etc.,  of  the  child,  or  child- 
ren baptized,  that  he  may  enter  their  names, 
etc.,  on  the  Church  register. 

SECTION  III. — BAPTISM  OP  ADULTS. 

When  the  persons  to  be  baptized  present 
themselves,  the  minister  shall  *ay  : 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  Ill 

Dearly  beloved,  forasmuch  as  all  men  are 
born  in  sin,  and  tbat  our  Saviour  Christ  saitb, 
none  can  enter  the  kingdom  of  God,  except  he 
be  regenerated  and  born  anew,  of  water  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  I  beseech  you,  to  call  upon 
God  the  Father,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  of  his  bounteous  goodness  he  will 
grant  to  these  persons,  now  to  be  baptized,  that 
which  by  nature  they  cannot  have,  and  that 
they  may  be  made  lively  members  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  heirs  of  eternal  life. 

The  minister  shall  then  demand  of  each  oj 
the  persons  to  be  baptized,  severally : 

1.  Do  you  believe  in  the  existence  of  God, 
and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  all  those  who  dili- 
gently seek  him  ?    I  do. 

2.  Do  you  believe  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  the 
world  ?    I  do. 

3.  The  Sacred  Scriptures  inform  us,  that  we 
have  all  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God ;  but  that,  if  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is 
faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.  Are  you 
now  determined,  by  the  aid  of  divine  grace,  to 
forsake  every  evil  way,  to  look  to  Christ  as 
your  only  and  all-sufficient  Saviour,  and  to 
walk  in  all  the  commandments  of  God?  I  am. 

4.  It  is  made  our  duty  to  search  the  Sacred 


112 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


Scriptures,  and  to  attend  on  all  the  ordinances 
of  the  house  of  God ;  will  you  endeavor  to  be 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  these  duties  ? 

I  will,  by  the  assistance  of  God's  Holy 
Spirit. 

Let  us  pray. 

Almighty,  everlasting  God,  whose  most  dear- 
ly beloved  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  our  sins,  did  shed  out  of  his  most  pre- 
cious side  both  water  and  blood,  and  gave 
commandment  to  his  disciples  that  they  should 
go,  teach  all  nations,  and  baptize  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  regard,  we  beseech  thee, 
the  supplications  of  this  congregation  ;  and 
grant  that  the  persons  now  to  be  baptized  may 
receive  the  fullness  of  thy  grace,  and  ever 
remain  in  the  number  of  thy  elect  children, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

0  merciful  God,  grant,  through  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  thy  Spirit,  and  their  belief  of  the 
truth,  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  the  carnal 
mind  in  them  may  be  destroyed,  and  that  they 
may  be  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  unto 
good  works,  and  have  their  fruit  unto  holiness, 
and  obtain  everlasting  life. 

Grant  that  they,  being  dedicated  to  thee  by 
our  office  and  ministry,  may  receive  grace 
whereby  they  may  serve  thee  acceptably  with 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


11°. 


reverence  and  godly  fear,  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness all  the  days  of  their  lives  ;  and,  being 
indued  with  heavenly  virtues,  and  strengthened 
by  thy  grace,  may  have  victory,  and  be  event- 
ually rewarded,  through  thy  mercy,  0  blessed 
Lord  God,  who  dost  live  and  govern  all  things, 
world  without  end.  Amen. 

The  minister  shall  (hen  ask  the  name,  and 
then,  repeating  the  name,  sprinkle  or  pour  water 
upon  him,  (or  her,)  saying  : 

N.  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  minister  may  then  conclude  with  ex- 
tempore prayer,  repeat  the  Lord's  prayer,  and 
the  apostolical  benediction. 

MARRIAGE. 

SECTION   IV. — MANNER  OF  SOLEMNIZATION. 

At  tJie  time  appointed  fur  solemnization  oj 
matrimony,  die  persons  to  be  married,  standing 
togetlier,  the  man  on  the  right  hand  and  the 
woman  on  the  left,  the  minister  shall  say : 

We  are  assembled,  in  the  presence  of  God, 
and  before  these  witnesses,  to  solemnize  the 
marriage  of  these  two  persons  present. 

If  any  one  can  show  just  cause,  why  they 
may  not  lawfully  be  joined  together,  let  him 
now  speak,  or  else  hereafter  hold  his  peace. 


114  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


The  minister-  shall  then  address  himself  to 
the  persons  about  to  be  married,  and  say  : 

If  either  of  you  know  any  lawful  cause,  or 
just  impediment,  why  you  may  not  legally  be 
joined  together  in  matrimony,  I  charge  you  to 
confess  it ;  for  no  ceremony  can  make  valid  an 
unlawful  marriage. 

If  no  impediment  be  alleged,  the  minister, 
addressing  himself  to  the  parties,  shall  say : 

Under  the  influence  of  mutual  affection,  you 
are  now  -about  to  pledge  your  vows.  It  will  be 
your  mutual  concern,  to  perpetuate  your  love 
by  constant  fidelity,  and  by  a  practical  regard 
of  those  principles  and  rules  of  conduct  which 
the  word  of  God,  and  good  experience,  have 
furnished. 

Husband  and  wife  should  be  studiously  atten- 
tive to  know  each  other's  dispositions,  and 
anticipate  each  other's  wishes.  Mutual  tender- 
ness and  forbearance  are  indispensable  to 
matrimonial  happiness ;  nothing  endears  like 
these;  nothing  so  effectually  rivets  affection. 

The  husband  should  consult  his  wife,  make 
her  acquainted  with  the  true  state  of  his  affairs, 
and  allow  her  a  full  share  of  influence  ;  your 
interests  will  be  one,  and  your  confidence  should 
be  mutual. 

The  wife  should  love  her  husband,  show  him 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


]  j  5 


all  possible  attention,  and  make  her  house  the 
place  of  his  delight. 

Husband  and  -wife  should  conduct  toward 
each  other  with  the  utmost  affability,  kindness 
and  affection ;  and  constantly  seek  the  protec- 
tion and  assisting  grace  of  God,  to  enable  them 
faithfully  and  mutually  to  discharge  the  numer- 
ous and  important  duties  required  of  those  who 
become  heads  of  families. 

The  minister  shall  then  soy  : 

Please  join  your  right  hands. 

Then  shall  the  minister  say  to  the  man  : 

Wilt  thou  have  this  woman  to  thy  wedded 
wife,  to  love,  comfort,  honor,  and  keep  her,  in 
sickness  and  in  health  ;  and  forsaking  all  others, 
keep  thee  only  unto  her.  so  long  as  you  both 
shall  live? 

The  ?nan  shall  answer  : 

I  will. 

Then  shall  the  minister  say  vnto  the  woman: 

Wilt  thou  have  this  man  to  be  thy  wedded 
husband,  to  obey,  love,  honor,  and  keep  him,  in 
sickness  and  in  health  ;  and  forsaking  all  others, 
keep  thee  only  unto  him,  so  long  as  you  both 
shall  live? 

The  woman  shall  answer  . 

I  will. 

Then  shall  the  minister  say  : 


116  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


Those  whom  God  hath  joined  together,  let 
no  man  put  asunder. 

Forasmuch  as  A.  B.  and  C.  D.  have  con- 
sented together  in  holy  wedlock,  and  have  wit- 
nessed the  same  before  God  and  this  company, 
and  thereto  have  pledged  their  faith,  the  one  to 
the  other,  and  have  declared  the  same  by  join- 
ing hands,  I  pronounce  them  husband  and 
wife,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 

Let  us  pray. 

We  humbly  supplicate  thy  blessing,  Heavenly 
Father,  on  these  persons  who  have  mutually 
entered  into  marriage  covenant.  Will  it  please 
thee  to  grant  them  power  to  keep  their  vows 
in  fidelity ;  to  live  together  in  peace  and  love, 
and  reverently  obey  thy  laws.  Under  thy  pro- 
tection, and  in  the  enjoyment  of  thy  favor, 
may  they  long  live  in  health  and  comfort, 
gratefully  receiving  all  thy  blessings,  which  thy 
parental  care  and  goodness  may  confer  upon 
them  in  this  life  ;  and  in  the  end,  vouchsafe  to 
them,  and  to  us  all,  a  participation  in  life  ever- 
lasting. Amen. 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  117 


THE  DEAD. 
SECTION  V. — BURIAL  SERVICE. 

When  i.'ie  corpse  is  brought  to  the  grave,  the 
minister  shall  repeat  one  or  more  of  tlte  fol- 
lowing passages  : 

I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live  ;  and  whosoever  liveth 
and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die. 

I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that 
he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth; 
and  though  after  death  worms  destroy  this 
body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God. 

I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto 
me:  Write;  From  henceforth,  blessed  are  the 
dead  who  die  in  the  Lord ;  even  so  saith  the 
Spirit,  for  they  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their 
works  do  follow  them. 

Blessed  be  the  God,  and  father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who,  according  to  his  abundant 
mercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively 
hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
the  dead,  to  an  inheritance,  incorruptible,  un- 
dented, and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in 
heaven  for  those  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be 
revealed  at  the  last  time. 

Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery  :  We  shall 
not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a 


118  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump ;  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the 
dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall 
be  changed  :  for  this  corruptible  must  put  on 
incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  im- 
mortality. So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have 
put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have 
put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to 
pass  the  saying  that  is  written :  Death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory.  0  death,  where  is 
thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? 
The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ;  and  the  strength  of 
sin  is  the  law:  But  thanks  be  to  God,  who 
giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Here  the  minister,  if  he  judge  proper,  may 
exhort  those  present  to  reflect  on  the  shortness 
and  uncertainty  of  human  life;  and  to  pre- 
pare for  death,  judgment  and  eternity. 

Let  us  pray. 

Almighty  and  most  merciful  God,  in  whose 
hands  are  the  issues  of  life  and  death ;  and 
before  whose  bar  we  shall  all  stand,  and  give 
an  account  of  the  deeds  done  iu  the  body ;  we 
beseech  thee  to  grant  unto  us,  at  all  times,  a 
salutary  conviction  of  the  frailty  of  lifa,  and 
our  great  responsibility  to  thee,  the  Judge  of 
quick  and  dead. 

In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death  ;  we 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  119 


come  up  and  are  cut  down  like  a  flower  ;  we 
flee  as  a  shadow,  and  never  continue  in  one 
stay.  Death,  judgment  and  eternity  are  just 
before  us,  and  of  whom  may  we  seek  protection 
and  grace  but  of  thee,  0  most  merciful  God, 
who  hath  redeemed  us  with  the  most  precious 
\  blood  of  Christ,  that  we  might  be  delivered 
•  from  the  power  of  sin  and  the  fear  of  death, 
and  be  made  heirs  of  eternal  life. 

We  humbly  confess,  0  righteous  Father, 
that  we  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  thy 
glory.  We  have  been  undutiful  children, 
slothful  servants,  and  unfaithful  stewards  of 
the  manifold  mercies  of  God.  Be  merciful,  O  • 
Lord,  to  our  unrighteousness  ;  pardon  our  sins, 
and  raise  us  from  a  death  of  sin  to  a  life  of 
righteousness,  through  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  hath  said,  I  am  the  resurrection 
and  the  life  ;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though 
he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live  ;  and  whosoever 
liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall  not  die  eter-  ' 
nally. 

We  beseech  thee,  Father  of  all  our  mercies, 
and  giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  to 
grant  us  grace  whereby  we  may  serve  thee 
acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  all 
our  days ;  looking  for  the  blessed  hope,  and 
glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness.    For  the   hour  is  coming,  in 


120  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


which  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  shall  come 
forth ;  they  that  have  done  good,  to  the  resur- 
rection of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  to 
the  resurrection  of  condemnation. 

Forbid,  O  most  merciful  God,  that  any  of 
us  should  taste  of  the  bitter  pains  of  the  second 
death ;  but  grant  that  when  we  depart  this 
transitory  life,  we  may  die  in  possession  of  tri- 
umphant faith,  and  rest  in  Christ.  And,  at 
the  general  resurrection  of  the  last  day,  be 
found  acceptable  in  thy  sight,  and  receive  that 
blessing  which  thy  well-beloved  Son  shall  pro- 
nounce on  all  that  love  and  fear  thee  ;  saying, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  receive  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world. 

Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  grant 
that  this  dispensation  of  thy  righteous  provi- 
dence may  be  sanctified  to  the  good  of  all 
present.  May  we  take  due  warning  and  con- 
sider the  shortness  and  uncertainty  of  human 
life  ;  the  solemnities  of  death,  and  the  awful 
realities  of  eternity ;  and  prepare  to  meet  thee 
in  the  judgment.  /■ 

May  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  not  sorrow 
as  those  who  have  no  hope,  but  have  grace  to 
submit  to  thy  gracious  will,  and  bo  fully  pre- 
pared to  say :  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord. 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  121 


BENEDICTION. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  "fellowship  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  remain  with  us,  now  and  forever.  Amen. 

When  the  corpse  is  deposited  in  the  grave, 
and  the  sexton  is  returning  the  earth,  the  min- 
ister may  repeat  one  or  more  of  the  following 
passages : 

Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  re- 
turn. 

It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  and 
after  that  the  judgment. 

Blessed  and  holy  are  they  who  have  part  in 
the  first  resurrection.  On  such  the  second 
death  hath  no  power  ;  but  they  shall  be  priests 
of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  forever.  God  will  wipe  all  tears  from 
their  eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death  ; 
neither  sorrow  nor  weeping ;  neither  shall  there 
be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the  former  things  have 
passed  away. 

Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him. 

Blessed  are  they  that  keep  his  command- 
ments, that  they  may  have  a  right  to  the  tree 
of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates 
into  the  city. 


122  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 

Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints. 

OEDINATION. 

SECTION    VI. — FORM    AND    MANNER    OP  OR- 
DAINING ELDERS. 

On  the  day  of  ordination  a  sermon  or  exhort- 
ation shall  be  delivered  ;  after  which  one  of 
the  Elders  shall  read  aloud  the  names  of  the 
persons  to  be  ordained,  who  shall  answer,  re- 
spectively, and  present  themselves  before  the 
ministers  appointed  to  perform  the  ordination. 

One  of  the  Elders  shall  then  read  the  fol- 
lowing passages  of  Holy  Writ  : 

"And  Jesus  came,  and  spake  unto  them, 
saying  :  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  ;  and  lo,  I 
am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world.    Amen."    Matt,  xxviii.:  18-20. 

"  But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace 
according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ. 
"Wherefore  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts 
unto  men.  Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it 
but  that  he  also  descended  first  into  the  lower 


-v 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  123 


parts  of  the  earth?  He  that  descended  is  the 
same  also  that  ascended  up  far  above  all  hea- 
vens, that  he  might  fill  all  things.  And  he 
gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and 
some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and  teach- 
ers. For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ.  Till  we  all  come,  in  the  unity 
of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure 
of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ."  Ephe- 
sians,  iv. :  7-13. 

"  This  is  a  true  saying,  if  a  man  desire  the 
office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work.  A 
bishop  then  must  be  blameless,  the  husband  01 
one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good  behavior, 
given  to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach.  Not  given 
to  wine,  no  striker,  not  greedy  of  filthy  lucre ; 
but  patient ;  not  a  brawler,  not  covetous.  One 
that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his 
children  in  subjection,  with  all  gravity.  (For 
if  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his  own  house, 
how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  Church  of  God  ?) 
Not  a  novice,  lest  being  lifted  up  with  pride, 
he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil. 
Moreover,  he  must  have  a  good  report  of  them 
which  are  without ;  lest  he  fall  into  reproach 
and  the  snare  of  the  devil."    1  Tim.  iii. :  1-7. 

Another  of  the  Elders  shall  say  to  the  per- 
y.ons  about  to  be  ordained: 


124 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


Beloved  brethren,  forasmuch  as  the  Holy- 
Scriptures  command  that  we  should  not  be 
hasty  in  laying  on  of  hands,  and  admitting 
persons  to  minister  in  the  Church  of  Christ ; 
therefore,  before  we  admit  you  to  the  office  oi 
Elder  in  the  Church  of  God,  we  will  examine 
you  in  the  presence  of  this  congregation,  and 
receive  your  answers  to  the  following  questions  : 

Are  you  fully  persuaded  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  contain  sufficiently  all  doctrine  re- 
quired of  necessity  for  eternal  salvation  ? 

And  will  you  out  of  the  same  Holy  Scrip- 
tures instruct  the  people,  and  teach  and  main- 
tain nothing,  as  of  necessity  required  for  salva- 
tion, but  that  which  you  shall  be  persuaded 
may  be  proved  by  them  ? 

Will  you  faithfully  exercise  yourself  in  the 
study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  call  upon 
God,  by  prayer,  for  the  true  understanding  of 
the  same,  so  that  you  may  be  able  to  teach  and 
exhort  with  wholesome  doctrine,  and  to  with- 
stand and  convince  gainsay  era? 

Will  you  deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly 
in  this  present  world,  that  you  may  show  your- 
self in  <dl  things  a  worthy  example  to  the  flock 
of  Christ? 

Will  you  diligently  endeavor  to  teach  and 
discipline  your  family  according  to  the  doctrine 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


125 


of  the  Gospel,  and  make  thern,  as  much  as  in 
you  lieth,  examples  to  others  ? 

Will  you  strive  to  maintain  quietness,  peace 
and  love  among  all  Christian  people,  and  espe- 
cially among  them  who  are  committed  to  your 
care  ? 

Will  you  diligently-  strive  to  promote  an 
active  interest  in  behalf  of  all  the  general  and 
local  interests  of  the  Church  among  the  people 
committed  to  your  care  ? 

Let  us  pray. 

All  shall  7ioio  kneel  before  God,  and  the 
Elder  shall  say : 

Almighty  God,  Giver  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift,  mercifully  behold  these  thy  ser- 
vants now  set  apart  for  the  office  and  work  of 
Elders  in  thy  Church.  Grant  so  to  replenish 
them  with  the  truth  of  thy  doctrine,  and  adorn 
them  with  innocency  of  life,  that  both  by  word 
and  good  example,  they  may  faithfully  serve 
the  Church,  and  this  office,  to  the  glory  of  thy 
name,  and  the  edification  of  thy  -people, 
through  the  merits  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

The  Elders  present  shall  then  lay  their 
hands  severally  upon  the  head  of  every  one 
that  receiveth  the  Order  of  Elder,  the  receivers 
remaining  on  their  knees,  for  the  convenience 
of  the  ordainers  : 


126  RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 


The  President  pronouncing  aloud  the  fol- 
lowing words  : 

The  Lord  pour  upon  thee  the  Holy  Spirit 
for  the  office  and  work  of  an  Elder,  committed 
unto  thee  by  the  election  of  thy  brethren,  and 
the  imposition  of  our  hands ;  and  be  thou 
faithful. 

The  President  shall  then  deliver  to  each  one 
the  Bible  in  his  hands,  saying  : 

We  acknowledge  thy  authority  to  preach 
this  ward,  and  to  administer  the  ordinances  in 
the  Church  of  Christ. 

Feed  the  flock  of  God,  taking  the  oversight 
thereof;  not  as  a  lord  over  God's  heritage,  but 
being  an  example  to  the  flock.  And  when  the 
Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  thou  shalt  receive 
a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 

Then  shall  the  President  say : 

Let  us  pray. 

Most  merciful  Father,  we  beseech  thee  to 
grant  unto  these  thy  servants,  now  set  apart  to 
the  office  of  Elder,  thy  heavenly  blessing;  and 
so  indue  them  with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  they, 
preaching  thy  word,  may  not  only  be  earnest  to 
reprove,  beseech,  and  exhort,  with  all  patience 
and  long-suffering  ;  but  also  may  be,  to  such 
as  believe,  wholesome  examples,  in  doctrine,  in 
conversation,  in  love,  in  faith,  in  charity,  in 


RITUALISTIC  SERVICES.  127 

purity ;  that  faithfully  fulfilling  their  course, 
at  the  last  day,  each  one  may  receive  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  laid  up  by  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  Judge,  who  liveth  and  reigneth  one 
God  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
world  without  end. 

Assist  us,  0  Lord,  in  all  our  doings,  with 
thy  most  gracious  favor,  and  further  us  with 
thy  continued  help  ;  that  in  all  our  works, 
begun,  continued  and  ended  in  thee,  we  may 
glorify  thy  holy  name ;  and  finally,  by  thy 
mercy,  obtain  everlasting  life,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

BENEDICTION. 

The  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  under- 
standing, keep  your  hearts  and  minds  in  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  the  blessing  of  God 
Almighty,  the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  be  with  you  always.  Amen. 


PART  SEVENTH. 

Conference  Districts. 


BOUNDARIES  THEREOF. 

1.  Boston  District — Includes  the  States 
of  Massachusetts,  Maine,  Rhode  Island,  New 
Hampshire,  and  Eastern  Vermont. 

2.  New  York  District. — The  New  York 
District  includes  Western  Vermont,  Connecti- 
cut, and  that  part  of  the  State  of  New  York 
lying  east  of  a  line  forming  the  boundary 
between  the  States  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey,  terminating  at  the  Delaware  river; 
thence,  up  said  river,  to  the  northwest  corner  of 
Sullivan  county ;  thence  north  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  Hamilton  county  ;  thence  east 
to  Lake  Champlain ;  thence,  down  the  lake,  to 
the  Canada  line. 

The  New  York  Conference  District  also  now 
includes  the  territory  formerly  known  as  the 
Pennsylvania  Conference,  by  concurrent  action 
of  the  two  Conferences. 


CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS.  129 


3.  New  Jersey  District — Includes  the 
State  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

4.  Onondaga  District. — The  line  divid- 
ing the  Onondaga  and  Genesee  Conferences 
shall  begin  where  the  west  line  of  Wayne 
county  intersects  Lake  Ontario,  running  south 
to  its  intersection  with  the  State  line  dividing 
the  States  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  York ; 
thence  east  on  said  line  to  the  east  line  of  Dela- 
ware county  ;  thence  north,  following  the  line 
dividing  the  New  York  and  Onondaga  Confer- 
ences, to  the  northeast  corner  of  Hamilton 
county ;  thence  east  to  Lake  Champlain ; 
thence  down  said  lake  to  the  Canada  line ; 
thence  west  to  the  St.  Lawrence  river ;  thence 
up  said  river  and  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

5.  Genesee  District* — Embraces  all  of 
New  York  lying  west  of  the  line  first  above 
described. 

6.  Pittsburgh  District — Includes  that 
portion  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  lying 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  together 
with  Clearfield  and  Cassville  Circuits,  formerly 
belonging  to  the  Maryland  District,  and  that 
portion  of  the  State  of  Ohio  lying  east  of  the 
Cleveland  and  Pittsburgh  Railroad,  except 
Cleveland  and  Wellsville,  which  shall  belong 
to  the  Muskingum  District.    Also  the  State  of 

5 


130  CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS. 


West  Virginia,  and  Sixth  street  Church,  Cin- 
cinnati, until  it  shall  resume  its  relation  to  the 
Ohio  Conference. 

I.  Muskingum  District — Includes  all 
that  part  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  not  included  in 
the  Ohio  and  Pittsburgh  Districts. 

8.  Ohio  District — Includes  that  part  of 
the  State  of  Ohio  lying  west  of  the  Scioto  and 
Sandusky  rivers,  excepting  the  counties  of 
Crawford,  Seneca,  Sandusky  and  Wyandot, 
which  counties  are  embraced  in  the  Muskingum 
District. 

9.  Michigan  District — Includes  all  that 
part  of  the  State  of  Michigan  lying  east  of  the 
Meridian  line,  and  the  east  half  of  the  county 
of  Clinton,  Michigan. 

10.  West  Michigan  District — Includes 
all  that  part  of  the  State  of  Michigan  lying 
west  of  the  Meridian  line,  not  included  in  the 
Michigan  Conference,  and  the  northern  tier 
of  counties  of  the  State  of  Indiana. 

II.  Indiana  District — Includes  all  that 
portion  of  the  State  of  Indiana  lying  south  of 
the  old  National  Road,  and  the  road  running^ 
west  from  Indianapolis,  through  Rockville,  to* 
the  Illinois  State  line. 

12.  North  Indiana  District — Include8 
all  that  portion  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  not 
included  in  the  Indiana  District,  except  the 


CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS.  131 

northern  tier  of  counties,  which  is  included  in 
the  West  Michigan  District. 

BQP'Thc  General  Conference  (1875)  recom- 
mended the  uniting  of  the  Indiana  and  North 
Indiana  Conferences. 

13.  North  Illinois  District — Includes 
all  that  part  of  the  State  of  Illinois  lying  north 
of  the  Great  Western  Railroad.  By  joint 
Conference  action,  the  Wisconsin  Conference 
has  been  united  with  North  Illinois  Confer- 
ence, save  a  portion  embraced  in  the  Minnesota 
District,  as  specified  below. 

14.  South  Illinois  District— Embraces 
all  that  portion  of  the  State  of  Illinois  lying 
south  of  the  Great  Western  Railroad. 

15.  Iowa  District — Embraces  all  that 
portion  of  Iowa  lying  south  of  a  line  beginning 
on  the  Mississippi  river  at  the  southeast  corner 
of  Muscatine  county,  running  west  to  Cedar 
river;  thence  to  the  junction  of  said  river  with 
the  Iowa  river,  to  the  old  or  correction  line ; 
thence  west  to  the  east  line  of  Poweshiek 
county ;  thence  north  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  same  county ;  thence  we.-t  half-way 
across  Jasper  county  ;  thence  south,  six  miles  ; 
thence  west  to  the  east  line  of  Polk  county  ; 
thence  south,  six  miles  ;  thence  west  to  the 
Missouri  river. 

16.  North  Iowa  District — Includes  all 


132  CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS. 


of  the  State  of  Iowa  lying  north  of  the  above 
described  line. 

B^The  General  Conference  (1875)  recom- 
mended the  uniting  of  the  Iowa  and  North 
Iowa  Conferences. 

17.  Minnesota  District — Shall  include 
all  the  State  of  Minnesota,  and  that  part  of 
Wisconsin  crossing  the  river  at  La  Crosse, 
running  east  to  the  southeast  corner  of  La 
Crosse  county ;  thence  north,  to  Lake  Supe- 
rior. 

18.  Missouri  District — Shall  include  that 
part  of  the  State  of  Missouri  lying  south  of 
the  Missouri  river. 

19.  North  Missouri  District — Embraces 
all  that  part  of  the  State  of  Missouri  lying 
north  of  the  Missouri  river. 

20.  Nebraska  District — Shall  include 
the  State  of  Nebraska. 

21.  Kansas  District — Shall  include  the 
State  of  Kansas. 

22.  California  District — Shall  include 
the  State  of  California. 

23.  Oregon  District — Shall  include  the 
State  of  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory. 

24.  Kentucky  District — Shall  include 
the  State  of  Kentucky. 

25.  West  North  Carolina  District — 
Embraces  the  western  portion  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  the  western  line  being  the 


CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS.  133. 


eastern  line  of  Tennessee,  the  southern  limits 
the  line  of  South  Carolina  ;  the  eastern  line, 
the  Charlotte  and  Columbia  Railroad,  to  Char- 
lotte, N.  C. ;  thence,  with  the  North  Carolina 
Railroad,  to  Salisbury  ;  thence,  with  the  West- 
ern North  Carolina  Railroad,  to  Catawba  river  ; 
thence,  with  said  river,  to  Alexander  and 
Wilkes  counties  ;  thence  north,  to  the  Vir- 
ginia line  ;  thence,  with  the  Virginia  line,  to 
the  East  Tennessee  line. 

26.  East  North  Carolina  Conference 
— Includes  all  that  portion  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  not  embraced  in  West  North 
Carolina  District. 

27.  Tennessee  and  North  Georgia 
District — Shall  include  the  States  of  Ten- 
nessee and  Georgia. 

Authorization. — The  Presidents  of  ad- 
joining Conferences  may  make  alterations  in 
their  boundaries,  respecting  particular  places 
and  appointments,  with  the  consent  of  the 
societies  immediately  concerned ;  all  which 
shall  be  laid  before  their  approaching  Annual 
Conferences  for  adoption  or  rejection. 

Recommendation. — It  is  recommended 
that  all  the  territory  not  embraced  in  the  above 
Conferences,  be  considered  missionary  ground, 
open  for  cultivation,  in  view  of  forming  mis- 
sions, circuits,  and  Annual  Conferences ;  and 
that  within  the  bounds  of  any  State  not  in- 


134 


CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS. 


eluded  in  the  limits  of  an  Annual  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Church,  any  number  of  local 
Churches,  receiving  our  faith  and  practice,  be- 
ing satisfied  with  the  regulations  of  said 
Church,  may,  upon  organizing  and  adopting 
the  rules  and  usages  contained  in  our  Book  of 
Discipline,  organize  themselves  into  an  Annual 
Conference,  and  assume  and  exercise  their 
rights  as  such. 


PART  EIGHTH. 

COURSE  OF  STUDY. 


1.  Candidates  for  the  ministry  may  be  ad- 
mitted to  probationary  membership  in  an  An- 
nual Conference,  upon  presenting  a  certificate 
from  the  Committee  on  Itinerancy,  of  having 
passed  a  satisfactory  examination,  as  to  moral 
fitness,  natural  gifts,  respectable  literary  attain- 
ments, and  substantial  agreement  with  the 
doctrines  and  usages  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

2.  Candidates  for  ordination  are  required  to 
pass  a  creditable  examination  on  the  following 
course  of  study,  or  its  full  equivalent,  before 
they  can  receive  the  oflice  of  Elder. 

FIRST  YEAR. 

Bible  Doctrines. — The  Existence  of  God, 
the  Attributes  of  God,  viz.:  Spirituality,  Eter- 
nity, Omnipotence,  Ubiquity,  Omniscience, 
Immutability,  Wisdom,  Truth,  Justice,  Mercy, 
Love,  Goodness,  Holiness,  The  Trinity  in 
Unity,  the  Deity  of  Christ,  his  Humanity, 


136 


COURSE  OF  STUDY. 


union  of  both.  Personality  and  Deity  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Depravity,  Atonement,  Regenera- 
tion, Adoption,  Witness  of  the  Spirit,  Growth 
in  Grace,  Christian  Perfection,  Possibility  of 
Final  Apostacy,  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  Re 
surrection  of  the  Dead,  General  Judgment, 
Rewards  and  Punishments.  (The  examination 
on  the  above  to  be  strictly  biblical,  requiring 
the  candidate  to  give  the  statement  of  the 
Doctrines  and  Proofs.) 

Wakefield's  Theology,  Books  L,  II.  and  III., 
English  Grammar,  Physical  and  Descriptive 
Geography.  (Read  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wes- 
ley, and  Watts  on  the  Mind.) 

SECOND  YEAR. 

The  Bible,  Sacraments ;  The  Sacrament 
of  Baptism,  its  Nature,  Design,  Obligation, 
Subjects  and  Mode ;  The  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  its  Nature,  Design  and  Obliga- 
tion. (Examination  same  as  upon  the  Bible 
in  the  first  year.) 

Wakefield's  Theology,  Books  IV.,  V.,  VI. 
and  VII.  ;  Hickok's  Moral  Science ;  Constitu- 
tion and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Church  ; 
Written  Sermon,  or  Essay.  (Read  History  of 
United  States,  and  Outlines  of  General  His- 
tory.) 


COURSE  OF  STUDY. 


137 


THIRD  YEAR. 

Bible  History  and  Chronology.  Candidates 
to  be  prepared  upon  the  leading  events  recorded 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Reference 
Book,  Home's  Introduction. 

Butler's  Analogy,  Bain's  Mental  Science, 
Kidder's  Homiletics.  (Bead  Mosheim's  Eccle- 
siastical History.) 

The  following  is  recommended  as  a  supple- 
mental course  of  study:  Watson's  Theology, 
Fowler's  Logic,  Principles  of  Composition, 
Campbell's  Philosophy  of  Bhetoric.  (Bead 
Wesley's  Sermons,  King  and  Stillingfleet  on 
Apostolical  Succession,  Colhouer's  Non-Episco- 
pal Methodism,  D'Aubigne's  History  of  the 
Beformation. 

JKg^The  portion  of  the  course  included  in 
parenthesis,  to  be  carefully  read  ;  other  por- 
tions to  be  diligently  studied. 


PART  NINTH. 


RULES  OF  ORDER, 

ADOPTED  BY  THE 

GENERAL  CONFERENCE, 
1875. 


RULE  I. 

The  President  shall  take  the  chair  precisely 
at  the  hour  agreed  on  at  the  last  adjournment. 

1.  He  shall  preserve  the  most  rigid  order, 
and  confine  the  members  to  the  subject  under 
consideration. 

2.  He  shall  not  allow  improper  personalities, 
nor  reflections  upon  any  religious  communities. 

3.  He  shall  announce  each  person  rising  to 
speak  so  soon  as  he  shall  have  addressed  the 
chair,  by  declaring  his  name,  or  "  the  Minis- 
ter from  ,"  or  "  the  Representative  from 

4.  He  may  state  a  question  sitting,  but  shall 
stand  when  a  question  is  put  and  taken,  also 


RULES  OP  ORDER. 


139 


when  he  states  a  point  of  order ;  and,  also, 
when  he  makes  any  formal  communication  to 
the  Conference. 

5.  In  all  cases  of  election  by  ballot,  the 
President  shall  be  allowed  to  vote  ;  in  other 
cases  he  shall  not  vote  unless  the  Conference  is 
equally  divided,  or  unless  his  vote,  if  given  to 
the  minority,  will  make  the  division  equal ; 
and  in  case  of  such  equal  division,  the  question 
shall  be  lost. 

6.  He  may  call  any  other  member  to  the 
chair  when  he  wishes  to  participate  in  debate, 
or  for  other  purpose  ;  but  such  person  shall 
not  be  entitled  to  the  chair  after  an  adjourn- 
ment. 

RULE  II. 

The  Secretaries  shall  perform  such  duties  aa 
are  usually  required  of  such  officers  of  a  delib- 
erative body ;  and  also  : 

1.  They  shall  have  charge  of  all  papers  be- 
longing to  the  Conference,  and  shall  be  account- 
able for  them. 

2.  They  shall  be  in  their  place  precisely  at 
the  hour  agreed  on  at  the  last  adjournment. 

3.  They  shall  keep  an  accurate  list  of  all  the 
members  of  Conference. 

4.  They  shall  keep  correct  minutes  of  the 
proceedings  of  Conference. 

5.  They  shall  keep  a  list  of  business,  on 


140 


RULES  OF  ORDER. 


which  they  shall  record  all  important  business 
brought  before  the  Conference,  and  in  the  order 
of  its  presentation. 

6.  They  shall  keep  a  list  of  committees,  on 
which  they  shall  record  all  the  committees  ap- 
pointed by  the  Conference,  and  in  the  order  of 
their  appointment. 

COMMITTEES. 
RULE  III. 

All  committees  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
President,  except  as  otherwise  directed  in  the 
Book  of  Discipline,  or  by  special  vote  of  Con- 
ference. 

RULE  IV. 

Any  person  being  a  member  of  two  com- 
mittees shall  have  the  right  to  decline  an  ap- 
pointment to  another,  and  no  person  shall  be 
appointed  to  more  than  one  standing  committee. 

RULE  V. 

When  required  by  the  President  or  any 
member  of  Conference,  any  motion  shall  be 
written,  signed  and  read  aloud  by  the  mover, 
handed  to  the  chair,  and  read  aloud  by  the 
Secretary,  before  any  order  can  be  taken  upon 
it  by  the  Conference,  except  privileged  ques- 
tions. 


RULES   OF  ORDER. 


141 


RULE  VI. 

Any  motion  may  be  divided  if  the  sense  will 
admit  of  the  proposed  division. 

RULE  VII. 

No  proposition  to  amend,  that  amounts  to  a 
bubstitute,  shall  be  entertained. 

RULE  VIII. 

When  a  question  is  under  debate,  no  motion 
shall  be  received,  but  to  adjourn,  to  lay  on  the 
table,  for  the  previous  question,  to  postpone, 
to  commit,  to  amend — which  several  motions 
shall  have  precedence  in  the  order  in  which 
they  stand  in  this  rule  ;  the  first  three  to  be 
taken  without  debate,  and  the  first  always  in 
order. 

RULE  IX. 

The  previous  question  shall  be  in  this  form : 
"  Shall  the  main  question  be  now  put  ?"  It 
shall  only  be  admitted  when  demanded  by  three 
of  the  members  present,  and  sustained  by  a 
majority,  and  its  effect  shall  be  to  put  an  end 
to  all  debate,  and  bring  the  Conference  to  a 
direct  vote  on  the  main  question  and  all  pend- 
ing amendments. 


142  RULES  OF  ORDER. 


DECOKUM. 
RULE  X. 

When  two  or  more  members  rise  at  the  samo 
time,  the  President  shall  decide  which  of  them 
is  entitled  to  the  floor. 

RULE  XI. 

No  interruption  shall  be  allowed  while  a 
member  is  addressing  the  chair,  except  a  call 
to  order  by  the  President  or  a  member. 

RULE  XII. 

When  a  member  is  called  to  order  he  shall 
take  his  seat  immediately,  and  be  silent  until 
the  President  or  member  who  made  the  call 
shall  state  the  rule  of  order  supposed  to  be  in- 
fringed, after  which  the  member  called  to  order 
shall  have  the  right  to  explain,  and  the  Presi- 
dent shall  decide. 

RULE  XIII. 

In  deciding  a  question  of  order,  the  Presi- 
dent shall  restrict  himself  to  the  rules  of  order, 
and  any  member  declared  to  be  out  of  order 
by  the  President,  may,  if  he  obtain  a  second, 
appeal  to  the  Conference,  but  the  question  on 
such  appeal  shall  be  taken  without  debate.  L' 
the  Conference  sustain  the  chair,  the  member 
shall  be  allowed  to  proceed  only  in  order. 


RULES  OF  ORDER. 


143 


RULE  XIV. 

No  member  shall  speak  more  than  once  to 
the  same  question,  without  special  leave  of 
Conference,  unless  he  be  the  mover,  proposer 
or  introducer  of  the  matter,  in  which  case  he 
sball  be  permitted  to  speak  in  reply,  but  not 
until  every  member  choosing  to  speak  shall 
have  spoken. 

RULE  XV. 

No  member  shall  maintain  any  private  con- 
versation, during  business  hours,  within  the  bar 
of  the  house,  nor  pass  between  the  chairman 
and  any  person  who  may  be  speaking.  While 
a  question  is  being  taken,  or  the  chairman  is 
addressing  the  Conference,  no  member  shall 
walk  out  of  or  across  the  house.  No  member 
or  other  person  shall  visit  or  remain  at  the 
Secretary's  table  while  the  ayes  and  noes  are 
calling,  or  the  ballots  are  counting. 

RULE  XVI. 

No  member  shall  be  allowed  to  explain  re- 
marks made  in  a  previous  speech,  except  in 
regular  debate,  unless  a  member  replying 
thereto  requests  it,  or  unless  another  member 
requests  it ;  but  any  member  so  called  upon  to 
explain  shall  have  the  right  to  decline  any  ex- 
planation. 


144 


EULES  OF  ORDER. 


RULE  XVII. 
Every  member  shall  have  the  right  to  call 
for  the  reading  of  the  subject  under  considera- 
tion. 

RULE  XVIII. 

Every  member  within  the  bar  of  the  house, 
when  a  question  is  taken,  shall  give  his  vote, 
unless  for  special  reasons  the  Conference  shall 
excuse  him.  Any  member  wishing  to  be  ex- 
cused from  voting  shall  have  the  right  to  state 
his  reasons  therefor,  briefly,  after  which  the 
question  shall  be  taken  without  further  debate. 

RULE  XIX. 

No  member  of  Conference  shall  withdraw 
himself  from  its  sittings,  without  permission, 
until  all  the  business  shall  have  been  transacted. 
Any  member  desiring  to  retire  from  the  Con- 
ference room  during  business  hours,  should 
ask  permission  from  the  chair. 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS, 

FOR    THE    DIURNAL  SESSIONS. 
RULE  XX. 

The  Conference  shall  be  opened  by  reading 
in  the  Scriptures,  or  by  singing,  and  prayer, 
under  the  direction  of  the  President,  or  in 


RULES  OF  ORDER. 


145 


case  of  his  absence,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Secretary.  If  the  President  be  absent  still,  a 
President  pro  tempore  shall  be  appointed. 

RULE  XXI. 

The  reading  of  the  minutes  of  previous  day 
shall  be  first  in  order,  and  if  there  is  no  objec- 
tion to  them  they  shall  stand  approved. 

RULE  XXII. 

The  business  next  in  order  shall  be  the  re- 
ports of  committees,  called  for  in  the  order  in 
which  they  stand  on  the  list  of  committees. 
They  shall  not  report  at  any  other  time  with- 
out special  leave,  and  all  reports  of  committees, 
when  made,  shall  be  considered  the  property  of 
the  Conference  without  further  action. 

RULE  XXIII. 

When  any  business  is  laid  on  the  table,  it 
may  be  made  the  order  of  the  day  for  any 
other  day  of  the  session,  and  at  a  specified 
hour. 

RULE  XXIV. 

Ordinary  business  shall  have  precedence  in 
the  order  in  which  it  stands  on  the  list  of  busi- 


146 


RULES  OF  ORDER. 


RULE  XXV. 

When  any  business  is  taken  into  considera- 
tion, it  shall  not  be  interrupted  by  any  other 
business,  exoept  the  order  of  the  day,  nor  by 
adjournment 

RULE  EXTRA. 

No  member  shall  use  tobacco  in  the  house 
during  the  sittings  of  Conference. 


PART  TENTH. 


Forms  of  Church  Papers. 

j   

i  Form  of  a  Release  from  a  Circuit  or  Station. 

A         B  ,  the  bearer,  is  hereby  released 

from  any  further  obligation  to  continue  his 

ministerial  labors  in  circuit  or  

station ;  and  is  also  entitled  to  this  testimony 
of  his  good  moral  standing  in  the  Methodist 
Church. 

C          D  ,  President, 

 Annual  Conference. 

Form  of  a  License  to  Exhort. 

A          B  .  a  member  of  the  Methodist 

Church,  residing  in  the    station,  is 

hereby  authorized  to  exercise  himself,  on  all 
proper  occasions,  in  exhortation,  and  calling 
sinners  to  repentance. 

This  License  is  to  be  renewed  annually. 

Signed  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  Quar- 
terly Conference  of  . 

E  F  ,  Chairman. 

C  D  .  Secretary. 

January  1,  1871. 


148         FORMS  OF  CHURCH  PAPERS. 


Form  of  a  License  to  Preach. 

C  D  ,  a  member  of  the  Methodist 

Church,  residing  in  circuit,  being  duly 

examined  by  this  Quarterly  Conference,  on 
gifts,  grace,  and  acquirements,  is  hereby  au- 
thorized to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

This  License  to  be  renewed  annually. 

Signed  by  order 

And  in  behalf  the  Qr.  Conf.  of  . 

J  K  ,  Chairman. 

C — —  H  ,  Secretary. 

January  1,  1866. 


Renewed  January  1,  1867. 

J  K  ,  Chairman. 

C  H  ,  Secretary. 

Form  of  Elder's  Credentials. 
To  all  whom  it  may  concern,  greeting  : 

Be  it  known,  that  C          D  ,  having 

been  elected  by  the  Annual  Conference 

of  Ministers  and  Delegates,  was  ordained  for 
the  office  of  Elder  in  the  Methodist  Church  ; 
and  he  is  hereby  authorized  by  said  Confer- 
ence, so  long  as  his  life  and  doctrine  accord 
with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper,  to  baptize,  to  celebrate  matri- 
mony, and  to  feed  the  flock  of  God,  taking 


FORMS  OF  CHURCH  PAPERS.  149 


the  oversight  thereof,  not  as  a  lord  over  God's 
heritage,  but  being  an  example  to  the  flock. 

Signed  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  P  

Annual  Conference. 

N  S  ,  President. 

A  C  ,  Secretary. 

January  1,  1868. 


Form  of  Recognition  Credentials. 
To  all  whom  it  may  concern  : 

This  is  to  certify  that  has  been 

recognized  and  admitted  by  the  as 

a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church  ;  he  hav- 
ing been  duly  ordained  according  to  the  usages 

and  Discipline  of  the  Church,  of 

which  he  has  been  a  minister  and  member. 
And  he  is  hereby  authorized  by  said  Confer- 
ence, so  long  as  his  life  and  doctrine  accord 
with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper ;  to  baptize,  to  celebrate  matri- 
mony: and  to  feed  the  flock  of  God,  taking 
the  oversight  thereof,  not  as  a  lord  over  God's 
heritage,  but  being  an  example  to  the  flock. 

Signed  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  afore- 
named  Annual  Conference. 

B  F  ,  President. 

A  G  ,  Secretary. 


150         FORMS  OP  CHURCH  PAPERS. 


Form  of  a  Certificate  of  Membership. 

The  bearer  hereof,  T  W  ,  an  accept- 
able member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  being- 
desirous  of  removing  from  this  station,  is  en- 
titled to  receive  from  the  undersigned  this 
certificate  of  his  good  standing. 

W  G  ,  Pastor. 

B  Station,  January  1,  1867. 

Form  of  a  Certificate  for  an  Unstationed  Min- 
ister or  Preacher,  who  desires  to  remove  to 
another  Circuit,  Station,  or  District. 

The  bearer,  S  B  ,  an  unstationed 

minister  of  the  Methodist  Church,  being  desi- 
rous of  removing  from  this  circuit,  is  entitled 
to  receive  from  the  undersigned  this  certificate 
of  his  good  standing. 

W         P  ,  Pastor. 

F          Circuit,  January  1 ,  1867. 

Form  of  a  Certificate  for  a  Stationed  Minister 
or  Preacher,  who  desires  to  remove  to  anothei 
District. 

The  bearer,  J  L  ,  having  fully  com- 
plied with  his  engagements  to  the   

Annual  Conference,  his  moral  character  stand- 
ing fair,  and  being  desirous  of  removing  to 


FORMS  OP  CHDRCH  PAPERS.  151 


another  District,  is  entitled  to  this  certificate 
of  his  good  standing. 

A  S  ,  President  of  the  M  

Annual  Conference. 

January  1,  1807. 

Form  of  a  Transfer. 

The  bearer,  A          S  ,  of  the  0  

Annual  Conference,  having  consented  to  be 

transferred  to  the  M  Annual  Conference^ 

is  hereby  duly  transferred. 

C  S  ,  Pres.  of  the  0  An.  Conf. 

E  H  ,  Pres.  of  the  M  An.  Conf. 

January  1,  1868. 

Form  of  a  Certificate  of  Election. 

This  is  to  certify  that  A          B  ,  was 

duly  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence of  the    District,  to  sit  in    on 

the  —  day  of   18—,  by  the    of 

the  . 

A          R  ,  Chairman. 

S  P  ,  Secretary. 

Forms  of  Certificate  of  Election. 

A   B  was  duly  elected  by  the  An- 
nual Conference  of  ti:     M  District,  held 

on  this  day  of   ,  18 — ,  a  ministerial 


152         FORMS  Of  CHURCH  PAPERS. 


representative  to  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  to  sit  in  the  city  of  — — - 

on  the  day  of  ,  18 — . 

G  H  ,  Chairman. 

P  S  ,  Secretary. 

E  F  was  duly  elected  by  the  An- 
nual Conference  of  the  M   District, 

held  on  this  day  of  ,  18 — ,  a  lay 

representative  to  the  General  Conference  of 

the  Methodist  Church,  to  sit  in  city, 

on  the  day  of  ,  1 8 — . 

G — —  H  ,  Chairman. 

P  S  ,  Secretary. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 


Historical  Preface   8 

PART  FIRST — ORGANIC  PROVISIONS. 

Elementary  Principles   11 

Constitution   13 

PART  SECOND — FAITH  AND  PRACTICE. 

Articles  of  Keligion   26 

Christian  Duties   36 

Admission  to  Membership   39 

PART  THIRD — ADMINISTRATIVE  RULES. 

Committee  of  Inquiry   42 

Judicial  Committee   43 

Trials,  etc  ,   44 

PART  FOURTH — GOVERNMENT   OF   THE  CHURCH. 

Sec.  I.  Church  and  Leaders'  Meetings   51 

"    II.  Quarterly  Conferences   53 

"    III.  Annual  Conferences   57 

"    IV.  General  Conference  Boards   71 

"    V.  Board  of  Missions   73 

"    VI.  Board  of  Publication    76 

"    VII.  Board  of  Ministerial  Education   78 

<«    VIII.  Board  of  Church  Extension   8] 


154 


CONTENTS. 


PART  FIFTH— OFFICIAL  DUTIES. 

......      ,„  „ 


Sec.  I.  Presidents  of  Annual  Conferences   82 

»  II.  Pastors   82 

"  III.  Associate  Pastors   85 

"  IV.  Supernumerary  Ministers   85 

"  V.  Unstationed  Ministers   86 

«  VI.  Class  Leaders   80 

"  VII  Conference  Stewards   88 

"  VIII.  Circuit  and  Station  Stewards   90 

"  IX.  Church  Property   92 

"  X.  Trustees   94 

<<  XI.  Public  Worship   95 

"  XII.  Means  of  Grace   95 

"  XIII.  Advice  to  Ministers  and  Preachers  96 

"  XIV.  Constitution  for  Sunday  Schools...  97 

PART  SIXTH — RITUALISTIC  SERVICES. 

Sec.  I.  The  Lord's  Supper  100 

"    II.  Baptism  of  Infants  107 

»    III.  Baptism  of  Adults  110 

"    IV.  Marriage  Ceremony  113 

"    V.  Burial  Service  117 

'<    VI.  Ordination  Service  122 

PART  SEVENTH — CONFERENCE  DISTRICTS. 

Boundaries  thereof.  128 

PART  EIGHTH. 

Course  of  Study  135 

PART  NINTH. 

Rules  of  Order  138 

PART  TENTH. 

Forms  of  Church  Papers  [47 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Absentees   65 

Administrative  Rules    42 

Admission     39 

Advice  to  Ministers  and  Preachers   96 

Advisory  Committee   55 

Altering  the  Constitution   22 

Alternates   57 

Amusements   37 

Annual  Conferences  15,  57 

Appeals  23,  24,  49,  56,  62 

Arbitration   49 

Articles  of  Religion   25 

Associate  Pastors   85 

Auxiliary  Missionary  Boards   74 

Baptism   32 

Baptism  of  Adults  110 

Baptism  of  Infants  107 

Beneficiaries   80 

Board  of  Missions   78 

Board  of  Publication   76 

Board  of  Ministerial  Education    78 

Board  of  Church  Extension   81 

Book  Concern   76 

Boundaries  18,  128 

Burial  Service  117 


156  INDEX. 

Page. 

Certificates  58,  84,  85,  150,  151 

Challenge   48 

Change  of  time  or  place   70 

Children   39 

Christian  Duties   36 

Church   30 

Church  Meetings   51 

Class  Leaders  20,  52,  86 

College  Presidents  and  Professors   61 

Committee  of  Examination  53,  54 

Committee  of  Inquiry   42 

Conference  Collections   92 

Conference  Districts  128 

Conference  Stewards  20,  88 

Constitution   13 

Course  of  Study  53,  135 

Covenant   40 

Credentials  148,  149 

Delegates   67 

Disputes   49 

District  Committee   65 

Division  of  the  House  ,   18 

Division  of  Territory  14,  18,  64 

Dropping   50 

Duties...'.   36 

Editors  61,  72,  77 

Elders  11,  61,  62,  148 

Elections  15,  16,  17,  20,  67,  71 

Elementary  Principles   11 

Evading  Trial   49 

Examination   69 

Expenses    of    Representatives,  Messengers, 
etc  7.. 58,  71 


INDEX.  157 

Page. 

Financial  Register   91 

Forms  for  Church  Papers  147 

FreeWill   28 

General  Conference  16,  17,  22 

General  Conference  Boards   71 

General  Judgment   34 

General  Judiciary   21 

General  Convention   22 

Goods   35 

Good  Works   29 

Historical  Preface   3 

Holy  Ghost   26 

Holy  Scriptures   26 

Holy  Trinity   25 

Honorary  Membership   72 

Insolvency   50 

Journals   71 

Judicial  Committee   43 

Judicial  Regulations   42 

Judiciary  Principles   23 

Justification   28 

Leaders'  Meetings  51,  87 

License  14,  54,  147,  148 

Lord's  Supper  32,  91,  100 

Marriage  Ceremony  113 

Marriage  of  Ministers   33 

Means  of  Grace   95 

Membership   13 

Missionary  Collections   75 

Missionary  Districts   75 


158 


TNPEX. 


Page. 

Name  of  the  Body   13 

Oath   36 

Oblation  of  Christ  I   33 

Offending  Church  47,  48 

Official  Duties   82 

Order  of  Business  56,  68 

Ordination  19,  81,  62,  67,  122 

Original  Sin   28 

Parsonages   55 

Pastoral  Engagements   16 

Pastors  20,  75,  82 

Personal  Offense   45 

Poor  52,  91 

Presidents  19,  22,  57,  64,  82 

Probation   13 

Property  13,  92,  94 

Public  Worship   95 

Publishing  Agent  61,  72,  77 

Purgatory   30 

Quarterly  Conferences  14,  53 

Katio  17,  18 

Reception   13 

Recommendation   14 

Relative  Duties   34 

Release   147 

Resurrection  of  Christ   26 

Resurrection  of  the  Dead   33 

Rites  and  Ceremonies   35 

Ritualistic  Services  100 

Rulers  of  the  United  States   35 

Rules  of  Order  138 

Rumors   42 


INDEX.  159 

Page. 

Sabbath  Schools  83,  97 

Sacraments   31 

Sanctification   30  " 

Son  of  Gcd   25 

Special  Call  of  General  Conference   22 

Station  and  Circuit  Stewards  20,  62,  90 

Stationing   63 

Statistics  ..65,  83 

Superannuated  Ministers  61,  64 

Supererogation   29 

Supernumerary  Ministers   85 

Terms  of  Membership   13 

Testimonials   59 

Tongues   31 

Transfers  59,  151 

Traveling  Expenses   89 

Trials  11,  23,  24,  44 

Trustees   94 

Unstationed  List  64,  67 

Unstationed  Ministers  and  Preachers   86 


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